


Obedient, Quiet, Good

by AleishaDreams



Category: Free!
Genre: Adopted Children, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Children, Alternate Universe - Historical, Angst, Children, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-28
Updated: 2016-03-11
Packaged: 2018-05-03 17:44:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 42,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5300798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AleishaDreams/pseuds/AleishaDreams
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Tomorrow people will come and choose one of us, right? To take them with them, right? And be a family,” Makoto asks him. The green-eyed boy squeezes Haru’s hand. </p><p>Haru deems himself unable to read the gesture this time. On one hand, Makoto looks afraid, but on the other hand he also looks excited and happy. </p><p>“I promise to give my everything to look for you, Haru-chan.” </p><p>Haru smiles back. </p><p>“Me too, Makoto.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you [Mixestomix](https://twitter.com/mixestomix) for beta'ing.
> 
> Based on Mixestomix's dream.

He doesn’t have clear memories of how he arrived here.

He doesn’t have clear memories of when he arrived here.

All he knows is that all of his life he has been here. And his first ever memory is full of green and stars.

“Hey, Haru-chan.”

A small voice says his name in the middle of the dark room. A warm, tiny hand is holding his own under the thin covers, and around them tens of different calm breaths coming from other children that are already in the arms of the dream world.

Haru opens his blue eyes to be received by the tall roof, a cream-colored roof with wooden beams with some water stains in the corners. He turns his face to the other side of the tiny bed, finding two green eyes staring at him intently. The boy expects to see the obscure shadow of fear in the sea of green, but is glad to discover that this isn’t the case. Not this time.

Makoto is his best friend. He is another boy that lives in this place with Haru. They’ve been together since forever, since Haru has memory of being alive, and each other are the strength of the other, living together in the orphanage since day one. But, as said, life is good as long as they stay together.

Haru turns his body to the side, to face Makoto directly. Makoto has his own bed, but he usually sneaks to Haru’s in the middle of the night for no particular reason. At first Haru had thought his friend was scared of the night, although with time Haru learnt that Makoto simply liked to sleep beside him. Haru must admit that he also prefers it like this because some nights get too cold for him alone.

“Tomorrow people will come and choose one of us, right? To take them with them, right? And be a family,” Makoto asks him. He squeezes Haru’s hand.

Haru deems himself unable to read the gesture this time. On one hand, Makoto looks afraid, but on the other hand he also looks excited and happy.

“I want a family…” Makoto finally confesses, his green eyes looking away from the blue ones for a moment. “But I also want to be with Haru-chan…”

Haru understands because he is exactly the same. The idea of belonging to a family has always been a tempting one, but that comes with the fact that they – Haru and Makoto – will have to part ways if one of them gets adopted. Still, Haru wants Makoto’s happiness, and Haru knows that his friend belongs to a place with spacious fields, warm meals, and pretty clothes so he can shine bright. He doesn’t belong in the orphanage where someone’s light can slowly die.

Sure, parting ways from Makoto is scary and it hurts Haru in his heart, but he knows it’s for the best.

“It’s alright,” Haru replies with a whisper, “Whatever happens, we will be together. Even if one of us gets adopted.”

He knows it’s a promise he can’t fulfill by himself, and he knows Makoto is aware of this. And yet, the other boy smiles softly at his words of hope.

“I promise to give my everything to look for you, Haru-chan.”

Haru smiles back.

“Me too, Makoto.”

  
  
It’s a sunny day with a clear blue sky. Not a single cloud looms in the distance with threats of turning the peace into a storm, bathing the green grass with sunshine. The wind is warm and gentle, giving soft caresses to everyone’s cheeks while playfully ruffling their hair. Children’s laughter are the melody of the day as they run through the fields surrounding the orphanage, playing their games as children often do, ignoring the exterior world. Because theirs is much more interesting.

Haru and Makoto are by themselves. Both of them are used to have simple adventures of exploring and discovering little bugs on the trees near the building. They are used to this, it’s an everyday thing, but Haru can feel Makoto a little distracted, out of what they are doing because he’s lost in the depths of his mind, talking to himself in private. Must be because of what day it is.

“It’s almost noon, Haru-chan,” Makoto says, his green eyes gazing to the blue sky, while the called boy is looking at a caterpillar trying its hardest to climb up the rough crust of the tree.

For a stranger, this comment would be out of place, but for Haru it is not. Because he and Makoto are best friends. Because they are closer than anyone else in the planet. So, for him, it’s easy to translate what Makoto means.

It indeed is almost noon, and no one has come to choose someone between the crowd of children in the orphanage, like they were told just a few days ago. The atmosphere this morning between Makoto and Haru’s mates was electrifying. Everyone were excited for the chance of being adopted into a new family. Haru wouldn’t be surprised if everyone else were as anxious as Makoto, now that the day continues but there is no sign of a carriage coming to their home.

Haru looks at the caterpillar again, realizing that the little bug is high on the tree, continuing walking on a branch.

“Maybe they won’t come,” Haru replies, thinking that Makoto surely is expecting an answer. Besides him, he hears Makoto sigh.

“Maybe…” Haru looks towards Makoto, but his friend this time doesn’t return the gaze because he is looking at the grass under them.

His green eyes aren’t as bright as they usually are. They look dull as storm clouds. It hurts Haru to see the light in the green to be so off. He takes Makoto’s hand, squeezing it a little in hopes of bringing comfort to him. It seems to work a little because Makoto looks at him, smiling softly.

“It doesn’t matter,” Makoto whispers, shrugging, “This just means I get to spend more time with you, Haru-chan.”

This time Makoto’s smile increases, finally giving that warm feeling that always fills Haru’s chest. Haru just nods, feeling unable to talk for the moment.

“Makoto, Haru!” Their names pop the bubble around them, making them return to the world outside; suddenly remembering that they aren’t the only ones in there.

In the distance, Haru sees a child running towards them. It’s a boy that Haru barely remembers. He’s sure Makoto knows his name perfectly.

“Eiichi!” Makoto yells back, his smile bright and big as always.

Eiichi, as Makoto called him, runs all the way to them, only stopping when he gets there with a hasty breath and a sweaty forehead.

“They… They arrived!” Eiichi says, trying to get his breath together. “The couple! They arrived!”

Haru’s hand that's being held by Makoto is immediately squeezed with great strength. He is able to feel the faint trembling coming from it. Once again, Haru squeezes Makoto’s hand, a silent way to give his support to the other boy.

“Mother Superior wants us all to go to the front door, quick!” Eiichi finishes before running away.

Haru starts to walk his way to the appointed meeting point, but is stopped by a pull from his hand. Looking behind him, he discovers Makoto frozen in his place, his eyes hiding behind the brunette fringe of his hair. The boy’s shoulders are trembling.

“Let’s go, Makoto,” Haru insists. “They are waiting.”

Makoto doesn’t reply, he doesn’t say anything at all, he just nods and follows Haru.

The couple is a young one. A handsome and tall man who wears glasses, and a beautiful woman with a gentle smile. They are talking with Mother Superior when Makoto and Haru arrive to the front door. The other children are also there. With curious eyes they keep looking at the couple, whispering behind tiny hands.

Haru stares at the couple. They seem nice, gentle, and kind. They both are wearing fancy clothes, and — even though he is young — Haru can recognize how expensive the fabric looks. Besides, the man takes out of his coat’s pocket an elegant golden clock chained to the front part of his vest. The woman is wearing an elegant brooch on her hair, full of shiny gems and colorful tiny feathers.

A nun walks towards Mother Superior, whispering something in her ear.

“Ah, it seems all the children are here,” Mother Superior, an old woman with a face full of wrinkles, says with a smile. “Please, Sir and Lady, feel free to talk with them.”

The young woman looks around in a second. The excitement is evident on her eyes as they roam through every child’s face.

“Darling, if you may,” the man says, a chuckle just on the tip of his tongue due to seeing his wife's joy.

“Yes, my love,” she replies while nodding, walking towards a girl of blonde hair who starts to nervously giggle at the woman.

Makoto sighs at his side. Haru looks at him, discovering his friend looks disappointed.

“Maybe they already want a girl?...” Makoto whispers to Haru, low enough just for his ears.

Haru shrugs, because he sincerely doesn’t know. In the end, the woman talks with every single one of them, always with a smile and looking like she’s honestly interested in whatever childish thing the others have to say. But, as soon as she gets to Haru, her smile somehow intensifies after a second of what it seems surprise.

“What is your name?” She asks him.

“Haru,” he simply replies.

“It’s a really nice name, Haru. Tell me, what is your favorite hobby?”

Haru looks away, his eyes diverting to the other kids who are staring at him. He doesn’t like being the center of attention, and having this Ma’am in front of him it’s starting to become tiring quickly.

“It’s drawing!” A happy voice says beside him. It’s Makoto, whose green eyes are bright and shine like the night sky.

The woman looks at Makoto, then at their linked hands, to finally center her attention on the brunette.

“Is that so? Is Haru good?”

Somehow, this conversation stopped being of two to start being of three. It doesn’t bother Haru. In fact, he is thankful for it.

“The best!” Makoto gets on the tip of his toes to remark his line even more.

“One time Haru drew a butterfly, it was really pretty and colorful.”

“What color was it?”

“Blue and green.”

“What a pretty combination." The woman observes as she smiles and cocks her head, making her long hair bounce a little.

Haru should tell her that it’s not just a “pretty combination”. They are also Haru’s and Makoto’s favorite colors. But he won’t.

“It was really pretty,” Makoto corroborates, “I keep it with my things.”

“I see… and what about you, child? What is your name?”

Suddenly Makoto’s throat clogs and he’s trembling and nervous again. Haru has to bite his cheek to prevent him from laughing. It’s kind of funny how Makoto can endlessly talk about Haru but the moment he has to talk about himself his tongue gets stuck. Haru squeezes his hand one last time.

“M—Makoto,” he croaks. The woman giggles.

“Also a nice name, Makoto. Tell me, what do you do in the day?”

Makoto’s eyes brighten one more time before he answers with a smile, “Play with Haru-chan!”

From then on, Makoto begins to talk about every single game he has played with Haru. From that time he and Haru climbed a tree, to the day Haru got in trouble with Mother Superior when the child got out of the orphanage because the boy “wanted to feel the rain”. All the while, the Lady wouldn’t stop smiling at him, and nodding, humming interested on Makoto’s conversation. “Haru-chan’s favorite animal is cat, and so is mine!”

“Is that so? You know, Makoto? We have a cat at our house.”

“Really?!”

Haru is surprised to see Makoto’s eyes light up even more at the mention of the cat.

“Yes, her name is Duchess. She has fluffy white hair and blue eyes.”

“Are Duchess’ eyes as pretty as Haru-chan’s?”

The woman seems to be a little taken back by the sudden question, but just laughs it off after a second. She looks at Haru’s eyes for a moment.

“No, not as pretty as Haru’s, I’m afraid.”

“I have never seen a real cat,” Makoto confesses, “Only pictures in books.”

 “Would you like to meet Duchess someday, Makoto?”

The question is slowly made. Each word is deliberately calculated and placed carefully, but her lips never stop smiling and her eyes never stop shining. Makoto’s smile disappears instantly. Haru is able to practically hear his friend’s heart beating and hitting against his chest rapidly. Makoto’s grip on Haru’s hand tightens. It hurts Haru a little.

“I—I don’t know…” Makoto stutters a little, and Haru perceives the almost indiscernible motion of Makoto trying to hide behind him.

The woman’s smile falters a little, and the light of her eyes turns down too.

“Ah… I see. It’s alright, Makoto,” she says.

Haru won’t permit this.

He squeezes Makoto’s hand the hardest he can, with all the strength he can, looking directly to the green eyes of his friend, praying for Makoto to translate what he is yelling inside his heart. Makoto deserves this. Makoto deserves to belong to a family. Makoto deserves to belong to a place where his light can shine the brightest.

The message is loud and clear, as Makoto begins to tremble again, with emotion brimming his heart and his eyes. The boy looks at the woman, who is looking at the scene in awe and amazement.

“I—I mean…” Makoto starts with a small voice, only a whisper that is barely heard, “I would love to meet Duchess.”

A sun explodes inside of the woman’s eyes, bright and powerful, making her cheeks red and her lips turn in the biggest and happiest smile Haru has ever seen on his life.

“W—Wonderful, Makoto! I’m sure Duchess will adore you!”

The woman’s husband walks to them, all smiles too, placing a hand over his wife.

“Let’s go, darling, we need to talk with Mother Superior.”

She just nods, biting her lips that she quickly hides behind her hand, to finally walk back to Mother Superior, who also is smiling at both the couple and Makoto.

The same young nun from before gets closer to Haru and Makoto, kneeling before the latter to put her hands over his small shoulders. She is smiling too.

“They will need to talk with you too, Makoto, let’s go.” 

Makoto looks hesitant for a moment but, after being pushed a little by Haru, he frees his hand and follows the nun to the Mother Superior’s office.

Haru is left behind, and yet he doesn’t feel bad about it, because he knows Makoto’s life will be better now. And, at any case, they both promised each other to look for the other, didn’t they?  
  
The day continues and Haru is still alone. Makoto has been in Mother Superior’s office all day and it looks like he won’t be coming out of there for quite a while, even when the sky slowly turns into a watercolor painting of hot orange and cold blue with sprinkles of white shimmering stars.

The rest of the children appear to be a little disappointed of not being chosen, but they are also happy for Makoto to finally be able to fly away from this place to a new life. Still, Haru sometimes sees silent tearful eyes looking to the distance through windows. He isn’t going to lie and pretend it doesn’t hurt to see Makoto part. He isn’t going to pretend it doesn’t shatter his heart into millions of pieces. He isn’t sure he will be able to pick up to put together again. He isn’t going to say he will be fine immediately.

Deep inside of him, he knows he will cry tonight.

Haru is sitting on his bed, his blue eyes lost somewhere in the wooden floor, painted with the golden light of the sunset coming from the window. He is alone in the room, only surrounded by empty beds of blue covers and white sheets. In the distance, murmurs from the outside world are heard, but Haru doesn’t permit them to invade his small bubble of his small world because he isn’t ready. He isn’t ready to let Makoto go.

And yet—

And yet—

“Haru-chan!”

The bubble doesn’t pop, it doesn’t break at all, as this voice — this ring and this melody — is part of his world, is part of this small universe Haru created for himself.

The blue eyes go up and are met with a green universe full of stars.

Makoto runs to him, giddy and excited, his voice is warm sunshine converted into a song. With a jump he sits on his own bed that is right beside Haru’s. The bed creaks under him, old with use, making him bounce a little.

“They chose me!”

He almost looks like he can’t believe a couple actually wanted him with them, wanted him to join their family. It’s ridiculous to Haru, who wouldn’t want Makoto as family?

“I’m glad, Makoto.”

And it’s the truth. Even if it hurts.

“But…”

For a moment, the light from Makoto’s eyes disappear. It’s barely a second, but it’s enough for Haru to understand what is hurting Makoto. It’s easy to do so, because Haru is feeling the same.

“I will miss you, Haru-chan.” Now that the pain is translated into words, Makoto’s lips tremble at the same time his cheeks redden.

Crystal clear tears dare to roll down the boy’s face in a frantic pace that doesn’t seem to have an end.

“Ha—Haru-chan…” Makoto calls him, sobbing and with a hiccup at the end, “I will—I will miss you so much.”

The tears fall freely, one after another, and Makoto doesn’t even attempt to stop them or hide them. Because he knows these tears are safe in Haru’s hands, because he knows Haru wouldn’t ever take them to hurt him. On contrary, Haru changes seats, sitting as close as possible with Makoto while taking his hand. He’s silent, but even in his silence he is projecting everything Makoto needs right now.

“We will be together,” Haru says suddenly, his voice full of determination, not a single stroke of doubt in a syllable. “I will find you, Makoto. Whatever it takes me, I will do it.”

As if by magic, the tears stop, leaving wet trails on the red cheeks of his friend. Makoto  tries to smile, but his lips continue to be restrained by the heavy pressure that is crushing not only his chest, but also his heart.

“I know, Haru-chan,” Makoto murmurs, “You always keep your promises.”

Makoto rests his forehead on Haru’s shoulder. It feels heavy and hot through his shirt. Haru can smell the sun in Makoto’s brown hair, he can smell the field, the air, and the freedom, combining everything to result in a scent that is merely Makoto by himself.

Haru mimics the gesture, resting his forehead on Makoto’s shoulder, wishing for his friend to also memorize his scent. Maybe like this it will be easier to find each other in the future, even if they are different cities, or different states, maybe even different countries.

“Hey, Haru-chan.” Makoto’s voice makes him tremble, feeling himself getting overwhelmed by the weight of destiny and the future.

“Yes, Makoto?” Another small hand snakes to Haru’s free one, interlacing their fingers and filling Haru with a warm sensation.

“I love you, Haru-chan.”

Haru would have gasped, surprised. Haru would have yelped perhaps. Haru would have done a lot of things.

“Yes, I know, Makoto.”

Makoto giggles, his shoulders vibrating with the gentle laugh.

“Of course you do, Haru-chan.”

Makoto frees his hands, but Haru is soon embraced in the middle by his arms, covering him with even more warmth.

“Don’t worry. I know you love me too, Haru-chan.”

This doesn’t surprise Haru in the least.

“They are coming for me tomorrow in the morning, Haru-chan.”

Haru surrounds Makoto with his own arms.

“They said their house is really big, they even have horses. Mr. Tachi—my new father told me he would teach me to ride horses. I want to learn, even if I’m scared.”

Haru sees through the window how the sunlight is slowly disappearing. How the hot orange is giving up in this inevitable fight against the cold blue.

“And my new mother says Duchess is very playful! So I will have to play lots with her.”

The last ray of light is gone behind the tall mountains in the horizon, leaving the darkness of the night to reign over everything. Over the planet, over the orphanage, over Haru.

“I hope I will be happy with them, Haru-chan.”

Looking to the distance, to the dark sky that engulfs every trace of light, to the cold outside that freezes the heart, Haru feels his eyes burn.

“I know you will, Makoto.”

For a single second, he wonders if the caterpillar in the tree will die.

 

The next day, Makoto’s new family arrives early in the morning to pick him up. Every single child cries their eyes out while saying their farewells to Makoto. The boy is smiling, he doesn't shade a single tear because Makoto already cried last night, inside of the little universe he created along with his best friend Haru where it’s safe to cry.

They all hug, they all wish the best for Makoto, and they all smile for him.

Makoto and Haru can’t say anything else, there’s nothing else to add to what they had last night, so Makoto simply hugs him one last time before waving his hand and entering the black carriage.

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you [Mixestomix](https://twitter.com/mixestomix) for beta'ing.

Haru’s universe is different from the world outside of it.

His universe is a place he created for himself where he controls the rules and laws. He can decide when to talk, when to go to the bathroom, even when to fall asleep. But alas, his universe is just a small fraction of this reality, his universe is so small it still follows the exterior rules without consulting Haru for his opinion. Like so, time continues to run away from his grasp, from his small hands that can’t do anything to freeze time. He is a mere child, anyway, what could he possibly do?

Days and nights pass as usual. Life at the orphanage goes back to normal in just a blink of an eye. But, of course, it doesn’t for Haru.

For Haru, his universe is now incomplete. A piece broke and suddenly went missing, without allowing Haru to get used to the huge hole his world now has, and it doesn’t seem to be repairable with anything.

Haru still waits for his name to be called early in the morning, for his hand to be held under the covers each night, for his blue eyes to meet with the green ones. None of this happens. The world around him is changing quickly and leaving him behind, not giving him a chance to breathe or rest.

Two weeks after Makoto parted, Mother Superior suddenly announces someone will come and choose a child to take with them.

Haru decides he will be the one.

His universe is way too small. It's so small it’s asphyxiating him even though there’s a huge hole in it, and he must expand this world he created in order to find the missing piece that brings so much pain in his heart now that it's gone.

Haru is sitting on one of the tree’s branch, feeling the wind play with his hair that he carefully combed a few hours ago after showering. He just finished breakfast. Remembering that the dining room’s clock read the hour as 10 AM, Haru swings his legs in the air, feeling how the eagerness creeps inside his chest like an unwelcomed intruder.

He is nervous, he has to admit, because he has never been good with words or people in the first place. Haru isn’t like Makoto that shines like the sun as soon as he wakes up. He doesn’t shine, and he doesn’t try to do so neither, but this time — just this time — he must try his hardest. This could be his chance to finally step outside of this orphanage to a new world full of opportunities, and the chance of reuniting with Makoto. His blue eyes wander to the branch on top of him, where a small chrysalis delicately hangs from it. It’s green, made with leaves from that same tree. It looks kind of old and dead. Perhaps the butterfly inside it is about to get out?

“Haru!” A voice from below brings him out of his thoughts. Haru looks down to the soil, his eyes meeting with a girl of red hair. “She is here!”

The girl looks excited as she yells, “The Lady who will take one of us! She is here!”

With that last warning, she runs away to the inside of the building. Haru’s heart jumps inside his ribcage, wild and without control. This is happening. This is really happening. Haru is going to make it happen definitely.

With graceful agility, Haru climbs down the tree in mere seconds, running to the orphanage to get inside.

The lobby is already filled by children by the moment Haru arrives there, all of them trying their hardest to look as presentable as they can in hopes of being the next child to pass the front door to never again return. At the door, Mother Superior is talking with the so called Lady.

She is an old woman, her wrinkled old, but she still stands with pride and elegance. She is wearing a rather fancy and expensive looking dress, with a silver brooch adorning her hair, which is styled into a bun. Her lips are red with makeup.

“The children are really excited, my Lady,” Mother Superior says with a smile, her weak hands are over her chest. “For, you see, just two weeks ago another boy was finally adopted.”

The Lady looks surprised at the news, her eyebrows arch.

“That’s wonderful! I’m hoping a good family adopted him?”

“Ah, yes, yes. Actually, it was the Tachibana family.”

Something lights up in the Lady’s eyes immediately. “I see, I see! They are a marvelous couple, just married. I have met them a few times before.”

Haru’s breath stops, and he feels like running to the old woman to tug at her dress and ask her to take him with her. This woman knows Makoto’s new family. This woman can take him to where Makoto is.

For the first time in his life, Haru makes his way to the front part of the group of children, his posture straight as he combs his hair one last time with his little fingers. He checks his shoes to be clean, inspects his nails to be pristine, and his clothes to not have a single smudge of dirt. Now that he thinks about it, maybe climbing up the tree wasn’t the brightest idea.

The Lady walks towards them, her eyes aimlessly looking at all the children’s faces with apparent interest. She’s different from Makoto’s new mother. She doesn’t talk to every kid. In fact, she doesn’t talk at all for a whole minute. The Lady just keeps staring at them and – in Haru’s opinion – looking a little bored.

This can’t be happening. Haru has to do something to be noticed by this woman and he has to do it fast before the Lady decides to walk away. So, mustering all his breathe and energy, he bloats his chest.

“My name is Haru,” he says as the old woman passes before him. She stops and her eyes – tiny and black – gaze upon him, widening in surprise of him speaking before being called. “I’m ten years old, I like drawing, my favorite color is blue, my favorite meal is mackerel, and I know how to read.”

Truth is he **kind** of knows how to read, but that can be easily corrected without anyone knowing. The rest of the children stare at him, surprised at seeing him talk so much in so little time, but Haru ignores them.

He closes his lips as soon as he finishes talking, his deep blue eyes never wandering away from the black ones of the Lady, expecting, waiting for a reaction. But the woman doesn’t say anything to him. She just keeps staring without blinking even once, until she opens her mouth, lips trembling slightly.

“You are so pretty,” the woman says.

The boy is taken back by the compliment. Makoto used to call his eyes pretty all the time, that’s normal, but for some reason the word feels different coming from this woman. It doesn’t matter, the only thing that matters is that he has caught her attention.

“Thanks,” he replies.

“You are so pretty,” she repeats.

The old woman crouches before him, her eyes scrutinizing every centimeter of his face. Suddenly, her hands are over his black hair, passing her long fingers through it.  

“Your hair is so soft,” she observes. Seconds later, she grabs Haru’s hands, caressing the back of them with her thumbs. “Your skin is soft too. Amazing.”

Her black eyes are fixed on Haru’s hands. The woman’s hands feel cold but he doesn’t try to free himself from her grasp. Instead of that, he opens his mouth.

“Do you really know the Tachibana family?”

The Lady doesn’t look at him, she continues to stare at his hands when she replies, “Yes, I do. Lovely couple. I hope their new child is as wonderful as they are.”

“Take me with you.”

The children, the nuns, even Mother Superior, softly gasps. Haru hears how the kids behind him start to murmur, to whisper between them words of surprise. By the corner of his blue eyes, he is able to see Mother Superior with her eyes wide and a hand covering her open mouth. He doesn’t remember ever being witness of something similar happening. He may be the first child to request – order – to be taken. No wonder everyone reacted like that as soon as his daring words crossed the room.  The Lady slowly turns her eyes up, looking at him directly, the black orbs wet and seemingly tired with age.

“Why should I take you with me?” She murmurs with a trembling voice.

Haru gulps, anxious, but he won’t permit the overwhelming feeling to take control of him. He has to do this, he has to do it in order to reunite with Makoto, to keep his promise of finding him, to look for the broken piece that his universe is missing.

“Because I’m pretty.”

More whispering happens behind him, more silent gasps fill the room, and an occasional giggle escapes in the middle of the heavy atmosphere.

The woman is left speechless, her lips hanging open in surprise with a slight tremble. Her expression suddenly changes into an excited smile

“Yes, you are! Alright, child, you have convinced me! I’m taking you!”

His heart explodes with the intensity of a canon, wild, without control, and loud. He feels his eyes burning from behind, tempted to spill tears that he forces to hold back. And yet he can’t do anything against the smile his lips beam. The Lady stands up, facing the Mother Superior – who still looks surprised at the whole scene.

“I have decided to take this child with me, Mother,” the Lady declares.

“Y—Yes! Of course, Ma’am,” Mother Superior stutters, waking up from her stupor. “Let us go to my office, to talk about the details, shall we? Haru, you shall come too.”

To his surprise, he gets pulled by the Lady from a hand, as the old woman never released one. They follow Mother Superior to her office. The room is the same as always, old with a dusty smell combined with flowers bought from the market at the nearby town. There are numerous frames with pictures of different scenes from the Bible, while others show green meadows with magnificent trees. The central desk is simple, and old, just like the chairs people use to sit down. Some pots with plants of big leaves adorn the corners of the room.

Mother Superior sits down on the chair behind the desk, inviting the Lady and Haru to take seat on the other two chairs in front of her. When they do, the old nun begins to speak.

“Talking with all honesty, Ma’am,” she says, “I’m surprised our little Haru presented such…” her green eyes travel to him for a second before returning to the Lady, “Such behavior.”

The nun doesn’t seem to be alarmed, or even mad, so Haru doesn’t understand why is she saying this in the first place.

“Well, little Haru here seems to be interested in the Tachibana family,” the elegant Lady says with a chuckle.

“Ah, that must be because of Makoto…” the Mother Superior whispers in a soft voice.

“Makoto?”

Haru’s ears perk up at the mention of the name, his attention fully concentrated on the conversation happening before him.

“Makoto and Haru were best friends before Makoto was adopted by the Tachibana couple,” the nun explains. Haru feels offended, they “weren’t” best friends, they **are** best friends. “So, Ma’am, you see… maybe it isn’t the best of interests to take Haru with you, if the reasons aren’t the corr—“

“I’m taking Haru with me.”

The Lady’s voice is final, serious, and it doesn’t crack for even a second. Her face shows her decision, and how determined she is to not back up. Haru feels his hand being tightened inside the Dame’s grip. At this, Mother Superior sighs after a few seconds of silence.

“As you wish, my Lady. Tomorrow in the morning—”

“I’m taking Haru today.”

Mother Superior closes her mouth. She seems to struggle for a moment to regain her words. “My Lady, that’s—that’s a little hasty. Haru has to collect his things, say goodbye to everyone, and—“

“I want to leave today.”

Haru interrupts with his serious voice, making both women look at him. The Lady looks proud, while the Mother Superior looks startled.

“I guess that resumes everything,” the Lady says smugly, grinning with her lips. “Haru doesn’t need anything from here. I will buy everything Haru needs as soon as we get to know each other.”

The Mother Superior, again, doesn’t reply at first. She simply sighs, takes out the paperwork, and tells the Lady to sign up the contract. It’s just then that the Dame finally lets Haru’s hand go, leaving it cold as the night. It doesn’t matter, Haru thinks to himself, soon enough he will meet with Makoto, and he will hold his hand warm yet again.

Everything is as quick as the Dame dictates. The Lady signs up the contract, and takes Haru’s hand to pull him out of the office. Haru doesn’t even get a last glimpse of the other children – it’s not like he cares anyways. He mentally says goodbye to his pencil and old drawings. It doesn’t matter, he will have all the pencils he wants in his new future, with his new family, in his new house.

When he and the Lady enter the carriage, Haru peeks out the window to see the orphanage one last time. In the distance, he can see the tree he was on earlier.

For a single second, he wonders if the caterpillar in the tree is now a butterfly.

 

The ride to the Lady’s home is a long one, so they are still on the way there even after three hours. In these three hours, Haru hasn't talk in the least, because the conversation is dominated by his old companion. The Lady keeps talking about how big her mansion is, how she has a farm with lots of animals – cows, chickens, ducks, pigs, all kinds. Her mansion is so well prepared it isn’t that necessary for servants to go into the city that much and, as such, Haru won’t need to either.

“Actually, Haru,” the Lady changes the topic suddenly, her tone of voice distracted and out, “I was planning to adopt a girl.”

Haru just blinks at her. That isn’t his problem. He convinced this woman to take him and that’s all that matters. He doesn’t feel guilty in the least.

“But you are so pretty, Haru. So it doesn’t matter now.”

“When can I see Makoto?”

The Lady laughs. It's a lively, happy laugh that comes from the lower part of her chest and wrinkles the corners of her closed eyes. It's as if Haru said a funny joke instead of the serious question he did.

“Oh, Haru, you can’t see Makoto right now, of course!” She answers as she pulls out an elegant fan out of her purse. The fan has feathers on the end; they move smoothly as she uses it to refresh her face. “Just look at you! You must prepare yourself first, dear. Remember, Makoto is now a little gentleman, isn’t he?”

Haru looks down to his hands, playing with his thumbs in circles. He guesses she is right. Makoto has been in this new world for half a month, so he must have changed by now. But that’s alright because he, Haru, will change as soon as possible in order to meet him.

“Don’t worry, Haru,” the old woman says with a light voice, almost singing. She passes one of her hands through Haru’s black threads on his head before talking, “As long as you do as I say, you will see Makoto in no time.”

It’s after noon when the carriage finally stops. The sun is up in the blue sky, with white fluffy clouds. Haru once again peeks out through the window of the carriage, observing the surroundings. He sees a big fountain of white marble with crystalline water pouring from the top, giving calming music to the ears.

“We have arrived, Haru dear,” the old Lady announces as the carriage’s door is being opened, stepping outside with the help of the chauffeur, “Allow me to show you my house, your new house, Haru.”

The boy follows her, stepping outside the carriage by himself. He has to bite the inside of his cheek to not gasp loudly. The mansion is huge, so huge Haru can’t see the end of it, it has two stories but on the corners tall towers crown the place. It consists of various buildings connected, its walls of red brick while the roof is of a dark gray, adorned with intricate white details on the borders, the windows’ frames are also white. The mansion has a wide, green plain around it, but tall trees surround the building.

“Haru, dear, please. Close your mouth, that’s not proper,” the Dame tells him, laughing a little when his teeth make a noise as he closes his mouth.

They enter the giant building, and the inside is as impressive as the outside. Long curtains, marble floors, and elegant furniture. This is only the lobby, but Haru has no doubts that the rest of the mansion has the same sophisticated decoration; or perhaps even more.

“Oh, I almost forgot, Haru,” the woman says, removing her shawl and giving it to a maid, “My name is Lady Fuyuko, but you shall call me ‘Mother’ from now on.”

She looks at him, expectantly, and in silence. She continues until Haru speaks.

“Yes, Mother.”

“Wonderful, Haru.” Lady Fuyuko smiles at him showing her whites, pleased at the name. “Now, let us continue.”

Lady Fuyuko shows him the rest of the mansion, which looks as magnificent as Haru had guessed in the beginning. The tour takes almost another two hours, and by the time they finish it, the sun is already preparing to hide behind the tall mountains in the horizon. They enter the last room, a spacious place with huge windows that allows the golden light of the sun to bathe the floor. On one side of the room, is a big bed – the biggest bed that Haru has ever seen in his life – and it looks soft and warm.

“This will be your bedroom, Haru,” the old woman says, a warm smile adorns her face. She looks at him, meeting with his blue eyes. “But firstly, Haru, I have to show you one last thing.”

She walks out of the room and Haru hesitantly follows her, giving the bed a last glance before leaving. He can’t wait to jump on it and sleep peacefully, with thoughts of meeting Makoto soon.  The rest of the way to wherever Lady Fuyuko is taking him is done in silence, which strikes Haru as odd because he had thought the woman talked too much. Maybe the Lady is tired. Old people get tired easily after all. Haru looks around the wide corridors, seeing that all of them plastered of regal frames and furniture to the sides.

They go downstairs to the first floor. Is it Haru’s imagination or Lady Fuyuko is walking faster? Haru actually has to quicken his steps to be able to keep her pace. They sometimes meet maids and servants, but none of them acknowledge their presence, in fact, they almost look as if they are deliberately ignoring them. Curiously, Lady Fuyuko doesn’t look offended by this.

Lady Fuyuko guides him to the kitchen, but she passes right through it without saying a word. Haru suddenly remembers he hasn’t had anything to eat since his breakfast, and his stomach growls in complaint. He circles his middle with his arms trying to conceal the bothersome noise. Haru quickly eyes an apple in the kitchen, but decides it’s better to wait for dinner. He doesn’t want to look needy.

The old woman walks through another door, surprising Haru when he finds himself outside the mansion. It seems they are at the back side of the main building.

With each step they take, the more curious Haru is about where they are going, the more curious he is about why Lady Fuyuko suddenly stopped speaking. He looks back at the mansion, discovering how forbidding it looks with many of its windows covered in darkness. Just a few lights are seen. Probably the service staff is in those rooms taking care of everything.

“Haru, dear, do you remember what I told you about the farm?” His companion asks him out of nowhere, forcing him to pay attention again on their way.

“Yes, Mother.”

“I’m taking you there, so you know what it looks like. Right now there is a large amount of baby chickens. They are adorable. I’m sure you will like them.”

In the distance, Haru sees a barn. It’s big, of red color, and it looks kind of old. The sun is slowly going down in the horizon behind the barn. It looks lonesome.

The woman opens the big wooden door, inviting Haru to enter first. He accepts, and is received by lots of little, fluffy yellow chickens inside that chirp loudly. The place, as suspected, is wide and tall. On one wall, the chicken coops are laid one on top of the other, covered with wire, and inside the hens are already sitting there, preparing to end the day along with the sunset. The animal smell is strong, combined with the scent of hay, soil, and animal food. In the roof is a big hole, from where the last rays of sun enter. He crouches and the little chickens surround him

“Haru,” the woman calls him, making him look at her with his blue eyes. She is standing at the entrance, her eyes fixed on him, and her hands tightly clenched on each other. “I have to prepare some things before you can sleep in your new bedroom. Could you be a darling and wait for me here in the meantime?”

Haru slowly stands up, his eyes never leaving those of the old woman’s. He holds his breath for a moment.

“Yes, Mother.”

Lady Fuyuko smiles one last time, before stepping outside the barn and closing the door. The light significantly goes down because of this, but thankfully the hole on the roof alleviates some of the darkness. He looks back at the chickens, listening to the incessant chirping and tweeting coming from them. Haru crouches again to touch with his fingertip the tip of one the chicken’s head. It feels soft and fluffy.

Haru smiles. Makoto would have loved this.

He can’t deny that he is nervous about this new life. The mansion is impressive at first sight, and so it is in the inside, but Haru is sure he will be able to adapt to this new environment without trouble. He has to, because Makoto belongs to this new and weird universe, and Haru wants to conform just as well so they can be together.

The inside of the barn begins to turn dark as the minutes pass. Soon Haru has trouble to see beyond his hands. Multiple times, he looks at the door of the barn, expecting it to open with Lady Fuyuko coming for him. The little chickens leave him to go to their own nestles to sleep warmly with their mothers. Finding himself bored to the bone, Haru sits on a pack of hay, swinging his legs.

In the middle of the sepulchral silence, his stomach growls loud, with a painful sting on his middle.

Haru looks to the roof. Through the hole in it he sees the little stars in the dark sky. A sigh escapes from his thin lips.

“It’s getting cold.”

The pain in his stomach intensifies as time progresses. So does the cold lingering on his skin. To the point of Haru having to curl up, over the hay, hugging himself in hopes of retaining some warmth on his body. Either way, he feels his fingers, knees, and lips trembling.

Did Lady Fuyuko forget about him? It couldn’t be possible. The woman said she would come for him whenever she finished the things the Dame had to do first. She had to prepare things before permitting him go to sleep in his new bed. Surely Lady Fuyuko went to the city to buy new sleeping clothes for him, even though it would have been best if Haru had gone with her, for sizes, measurements, and such. How will his new mother know what size will fit him?

He yawns, covering his mouth with a hand. The numbness slowly creeps behind him, putting weight on his tired shoulders and eyes like a heavy cover, whispering to his ears that he should close his blue orbs to fall asleep. Haru shakes his head awake.

The boy looks in the dark direction of the door. He should just go and wait outside. With that decision in mind, Haru stands up and goes to the door, pushing it.

The door doesn't open.

He tries again and again to no avail, pulling the handle harder and harder with his small hands. The door stays still. Haru can almost hear it laugh at him.

Something dark and threatening starts to invade his body. It’s cold and it brings shivers through his skin. His hands tremble around the metallic handle, although Haru is sure this time it isn’t because of the cold, but because of something deeper, inside of him, crawling and biting in the dark depths of his heart like a worm.

He is afraid.

“Hey!” He yells with all his might, knocking loudly the door. “Somebody! Can you hear me?!”

Only the wind answers to his calls, blowing and howling through the cracks of the old barn. They sound so close to him, like whispers next to his ears, calling his name. He shakes the door again before letting go of the handle to turn around, resting his back on the gate. The blue eyes look everywhere, being received by the obscure nothingness. His back slides down the wood until Haru is sitting on the floor, feeling the coldness from it.

He is scared.

“What did I do?”

He murmurs to no one.

“What is going to happen to me?”

He asks but receives no response to his anxious question.

Haru covers his face with both hands, feeling the tears about to fall from his eyes.

“Makoto...”

The name goes out of his lips without his permission, evidence of an unsatisfied yearning.

“Makoto, I’m sorry…”

The tears go down his cheeks suddenly, warming his face against the freezing air inside the barn.

 

That night is the longest and coldest night Haru has ever passed.

He doesn’t sleep at all thanks to the cold piercing in his bones and staying there, constant and eternal. It’s a kind of cold he had never experienced. Not even when Makoto didn’t sleep at his side. It’s a kind of cold that infects the body like an illness with no cure. An icy bite that freezes his blood and turns his lips blue. Haru’s body trembles and he can’t do anything about it.

_“You always keep your promises.”_

A single voice comes from the back of his mind, a faint memory of a ring that belongs to his small universe and refuses to ever leave him. Haru slowly removes his hands, revealing his face, to look at the hole in the roof. The stars in the black sky greet him with a gentle gleam, dyeing the room with the dim light now that his deep-blue eyes are getting used to the darkness.

He can’t die here.

Haru made a promise to Makoto. Makoto trusts him to keep it. Makoto knows he will. His friend has complete trust in his words. Haru can’t do anything else than follow his own oath.

The boy stands up, walking to the hay again. It’s obvious the night will only get colder with each passing minute, for that he has to think of a plan. Right now he can’t do much, so he will have to deal with it by himself and the hay. He starts to dig in it to cover himself with it, feeling the inside of his nose get itchy just like his fingers with the grass-like scent. It isn’t much, but it will have to be enough for the night, to survive inside the cold embrace of the darkness of the barn. Once again, he looks to the starry sheet above him.

“I can’t die here.”

He says to himself.

“I’m going to meet you, Makoto.”

He swears to Makoto, even if he knows the other boy can’t hear him wherever he is.

With his mind full of green, bright smiles, and gentle laughs, Haru falls asleep.

 

The singing of tweeting and chirping slowly wakes him up from his cold slumber. Low blows of wind bring shudders to his skin. It almost feels like continuous pinches of little malicious spirits. His heavy eyelids open just half-way, his vision is blurry and he can’t focus properly for the first seconds of hazy consciousness. Haru sits down, feeling his back loudly crack with each movement. His whole body feels numb, still asleep because of the cold from the dark night, but he is able to see multiple little bites of what he hopes is mosquitoes, blossoming on his skin red and itchy. He covers his mouth with a hand as he coughs.

Inside the coops, the hens and chickens start to wake up too thanks to the light coming from the hole in the roof. As far as Haru can see, the sky is a light shade of gray with pale clouds covering the heavens. Maybe it will rain later in the evening. Haru hopes it does not.

The door rattles for a moment.

Haru is on his feet instantly, adrenaline and rage invading his blood like poison.

A creaking sound comes from the door as it opens. The chicks who start to chirp and run around Haru uncontrollably. The boy doesn’t know if the little animals are scared.

The bright light from the outside blinds Haru for a moment, obliging him to close his eyes and cover his face with an arm. He doesn’t try to look up, until a voice calls his name.

“Haru.”

His deep blue eyes open, looking up to the door to be greeted by a pair of black orbs. It’s Lady Fuyuko standing tall in the entrance. Her lips are closed tight and overall she looks tense. Just behind her is a man who is sporting a beard and a hat.

“I know you must be mad,” she says as if she has any idea of what Haru is feeling. “Mad” doesn’t even begin to describe how much anger Haru’s heart has been possessed with. “But you must comprehend, I’m doing this for your own good.”

The woman takes a step further, and is surprised to find that Haru doesn’t step back. He is fixed on his place, his fists are balled up, and his eyes are full of storm.

“You want to see Makoto, don’t you?”

At the sound of Makoto’s name, Haru’s heart jumps higher than usual.

“But I told you yesterday, dear. Makoto is a young gentleman now, isn’t he? And you are…” the woman’s voice drifts as her black eyes travel through Haru’s body. “You,” she finishes.

What’s that even supposed to mean?

“Don’t you want to be with Makoto forever, dear? You can’t do that. Not like this. Not while you look like this.”

She smirks, incredulous, letting go a chuckle because that idea is simply inconceivable.

“Because, darling, Makoto is a young gentleman who eventually will turn into a full gentleman, won’t he? And he will get married to a young lady. A beautiful, young, and perfect lady. Which, of course, you are not.”

Haru gulps, not finding words to deny Lady Fuyuko’s. He knows that is true. He knows they can’t pretend life will simply accept them to be together forever without any consequence because adults have responsibilities. Makoto’s life has to continue with or without Haru, probably without the boy of black hair. Because adult men must marry a woman, have children, and be happy.

“But, my dear, I can help you,” her voice is full of hope, of light in the darkness. She slowly walks towards Haru, who still refuses to back up. “I can help you become a proper lady, a lady deserving of being a wife to the Tachibana family. Like that, you and Makoto can be together forever. Don’t you want that, my dear?”

He feels himself trembling again. Lady Fuyuko is standing right before him. Her smile never quivers and her eyes are fixed on his blues.

It’s a promise, an offering, a gift.

To be with Makoto for the rest of his life, he must change. He already knew that, but he didn’t think of how much he has to before.

He imagines a life with Makoto. With his green eyes, his soft smile, and his warm hand over his own. Sleeping together under the blankets in the cold nights, eating breakfast together, and growing old together.

A life full of happiness, of love, of hope.

“Yes.”

His voice escapes from his lips. It doesn’t tremble, it doesn’t quiver, it doesn’t crack.

“I accept.”

Lady Fuyuko’s smile widens softly.

“Wonderful, Haruka.”

She turns around in the direction of the door, walking to it in order to exit the old barn, but she stops before so to say, “You will begin your training starting today. You will stay here until I deem you worthy enough of becoming a proper lady.”

Lady Fuyuko stops talking, turning her face towards Haru, smiling.

“I know you won’t disappoint me, Haruka.”

The old woman finally exits the place, leaving the boy and the other man alone. Haru feels his energy being drained from his body. His knees fail him and he falls on the hard floor. In the distance, he hears the man sighing, tired.

“Another one, huh…” the man murmurs and Haru thinks those words aren’t for him. “Hey, son.”

This time the man’s voice is louder to call his attention, so Haru looks up to him from his place. “Lady Fuyuko won’t be coming back for a while… but don’t worry, I’ll come every day to give you your meals. I work here, you see?”

The man shakes a small leather bag that looks kind of heavy. It sounds like it has seeds inside. "I feed the chickens,” he says.

As soon as the sound of the seeds is heard, the hens and the chicks swarm around the man, cackling and chirping loudly to claim to be feed. The bearded man pours the seeds to the floor, and the animals immediately start to eat. At the sight of the animals being fed, Haru’s stomach hurts, grumbling painfully with the emptiness; but he patiently waits for the man to finish. Even if he feels tempted to steal some of the animal’s food.

When the man finishes, he hangs the seed bag on a hook close to the door and takes out a small paper bag from his jacket.

“Here, son,” he says, “This is yours.”

Haru immediately stands up and runs to take the bag, completely forgetting to thank him when he snatches it from the man’s hands and runs to the back of the barn again. Inside the bag are a piece of plain bread, and a little bottle of milk.

“Be careful with that,” the man comments, “I can’t give you any more than this per meal, so you better plan well your eating times…”

The man clears his throat, evidently uncomfortable under Haru’s staring eyes and with the whole situation. An air of being familiar with all of this covers him.

“Take care, son.”

The worker exits the barn. The sound of the lock immediately reaches Haru’s ears as he is left once again alone. He looks at the bread in his hands seeing that it isn’t much bigger than them. it won’t be enough to calm down his roaring and angry stomach in the least, and this bottle of milk will neither be enough to quench his thirst; much less if he will have to wait until the next time the worker comes back to feed the animals.

He breaks the bread in two to put one half away in the bag before eating the other slowly, and opening the bottle of milk to take just a little sip from it. Haru looks at the hens and chicks, which continue to eat the seeds from the floor. Haru knows each one of the animals is going to eat until their stomachs are full and content, unlike him who now has to think ahead to plan his meals correctly.

A burning pain in his eyes alerts him of tears wanting to be spilled. He feels his blue orbs watering but he blinks it away.

He won’t cry.

He will do this.

He will do this so he can be with Makoto for the rest of their lives.

So they both can be happy with each other forever.

Haru takes the last bite of his half of bread, savoring it the longest he can, then drinking half of the milk bottle, leaving the rest for later on. His stomach protests, as if it knows that inside the bag still contains food.

His blue eyes look up to the sky. The heavens are still painted with a pale, sad gray.

“Haruka.”

Haruka murmurs to the sky.

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you [Mixestomix](https://twitter.com/mixestomix) for beta'ing.
> 
> Based on Mixestomix's dream.

The worker comes back to the barn another two times. One at midday, and another when the sun sets in the horizon. In both occasions he gives Haru the same piece of plain bread and the same small bottle of milk. That last time, the man gives him a thick blanket, telling him the nights can be pretty cold around there, so he better cover himself good if he wants to live.

“I’m going to live,” Haru says when the adult stops talking. “I’m not going to die.”

The man doesn’t say anything. Doesn’t even smile or sigh. He doesn't look really impressed at Haru’s words of bravery. It’s as if his eyes have witnessed way too much. Witness of what? Haru couldn’t possibly know, but whatever that is, he could see how heavy it’s on the man’s shoulders as the adult leaves Haru alone, closing the heavy wooden door of the barn.

 

Time, being capricious as always, dances and dances without stopping. All day and all night. Time dances around humans without any care in the world. Soon, too many suns pass to count. Soon, too many moons pass to count. Soon, Haru stops counting the seconds, the minutes, the hours, the weeks.

His hair fangs start to bother him on his eyes, having to move the hair away continuously. The ends of his hair also brush the tips of his ears, and the back of his neck feels warmer.

One inevitable day, the bread isn’t enough for him. His stomach threatens to devour itself if Haru doesn’t give himself something more nutritious than plain bread with the occasional sip of milk. The yellow and fluffy chicks have grown, some turning into chickens and some others into young and prideful roosters. Sometimes the man would come and grab one of the young chickens and kill it before Haru’s eyes, saying something about dinner for the mansion. The boy never questions him.

That same night, when his stomach hurts so much he has to cover his middle with both arms even though he already ate his bread and drank his milk, Haru goes to the hens' coops. He has been inside the barn for so long that the animals don’t react to him anymore, so it’s easy to grab an egg from a nest and take it to his own corner where his blanket waits for him.

Haru stares at the egg in his hand. It’s kind of small, of white color, warm to the touch because just seconds ago was under the protection of the hen. A loud and painful growl inside his abdomen reminds him why he stole the egg in the first place. He doesn’t know how to do this, so he simply cracks the egg by the middle using the barn’s wall. The egg white spurts everywhere in no time, getting into Haru’s hand. The boy grunts, disgusted with the slimy feeling on his skin, but he is glad to see the majority yellow yolk remains in the shell.

He decides that the best course of action is to simply do it, so he empties the yolk directly to his mouth. It tastes bland, almost like nothing as it is raw and without seasoning. Haru gags a little because of the viscous feeling, but he covers his mouth with a hand and closes his eyes; breathing slowly to let the nausea pass. When Haru feels like he can breathe again, he opens his eyes to look at the empty shell still in his hand. The egg white is slowly drying on his skin, so he quickly drops the shell to clean his hand on his already dirty shirt.

Finding himself still hungry, Haru decides to steal another egg.

 

 

The hardest part of his new life is the lack of clean water.

The chickens and hens have their own bowl of water to drink; dirty and full of little insects and seeds. Haru doesn’t have that luxury. He isn’t given any kind of water, not even to clean himself, not even to wash his face.

So, whenever the sky graces him with the gift of clean rain, Haru stands right under the hole in the roof, letting the cold water cover him completely. He stays still there, with his eyes closed, and receiving everything the rain has to give him. It’s in those moments where Haru feels completely alive. Like a human being again.

In the depths of his mind, he almost can hear Makoto’s voice. A memory from a distant day where rain graced the soil in the orphanage. It was a particularly hot week, and water had been scarce in their home to the point where Haru couldn’t take a bath because that would require a large amount of water, so the sudden rain was a blessing from the sky and the little boy wouldn’t waste such a gift.

That rainy day he ran outside the orphanage, completely ignoring Makoto’s warnings about a cold and sickness, and accepted the water from the heavens. It indeed was cold, but Haru didn’t care at that moment, nor did he care about the nuns scolding him for getting wet. At the end of things, Haru had to take punishment – a time-out of half an hour in the corner – but when he went back to the dorm, Makoto welcomed him with a smile, a giggle, and a warm hand under the covers of Haru’s bed.

Haru opens his blue eyes to the sky, his eyelashes heavy with the raindrops, and only darkness floats above him, far away from him and this barn.

“I have to get out of here.”

He doesn’t know how or when, but he will escape from this hell and go to where Makoto is. He doesn’t even care if he doesn’t have a proper family and ends up in the street, eternally wandering the country to find the missing piece of his universe. Damn Lady Fuyuko and her empty promises. Haru doesn’t believe in her lies anymore.

The rain stops just as he says his oath to himself, leaving him wet and trembling.

Haru tries his best to dry himself with the cover, and puts on his dirty clothes again, he then lies down over the hay to slowly fall asleep.

Tomorrow will be a new day.

Haru wakes up with the sound of the door creaking open, revealing the worker with the usual leather bag full of animal food for the chickens. The man doesn’t look at him, as usual. Not even an accidental glance.

“’Morning,” the man grunts nonetheless.

The adult begins to feed the birds, not paying much attention to his surroundings. Much less to the kid of blue eyes who is intently staring at him. They don’t exchange words at all. The chickens and hens immediately surround the man, cackling loudly in demand of more food. The man doesn’t move a lot, he just lazily walks to the center of the barn to start spreading the seeds. He sometimes turns around but his eyes are always fixed either on the birds or on the floor. When the adult finishes, he hangs the leather bag on the hook in the mainstay and it’s just then that he looks at Haru to offer him his piece of simple bread and the bottle of milk that the boy silently accepts.

Lastly, the man takes the leather bag again and exits the barn. The lock announces the door closed.

The entire chore takes around ten minutes.

In the midday, the man returns to feed the birds again. He moves around slowly as he disperses the food around the floor. He never looks at Haru until he has to give him the bread and milk. And then he leaves the barn, locking the door behind him.

The whole activity takes about ten minutes, again.

At night, the adult feeds the chickens. Moves slowly. Doesn’t look at Haru till the end. Leaves the barn. Locks the door.

It takes ten minutes, once again.

Day after day, for a week, this ritual repeats again and again.

One morning Haru wakes up earlier than usual. It’s so early that the sun still doesn’t peek through the hole in the roof. So early that the chickens and hens haven’t woken up. He sits up and his neck cracks, sore from an anxious night of awful sleep. But Haru can’t linger much on it. He has to act quickly.

Standing up, Haru takes a thick piece of wood, and walks to the hook to look at it. He can’t reach it because he isn’t tall, but the piece of wood is long enough. Haru lifts the wood and with a grunt he swings it against the hook, hitting it as hard as he can. The wood makes a loud noise, scaring the hens who wake up and start cackling, but the hook remains intact. The boy sighs, lifts the piece of wood, and smashes the hook.

He has to do it multiple times before seeing the hook finally moving a little. A smile escapes his lips as he pokes the hook with the timber to make sure it won’t fall down. Haru throws far away the piece of wood, where it can’t be seen, going back to his corner of hay to take off his shoes and burying them in the swath. When he finishes, the sky has turned a light gray color, announcing the sun is finally up.

Haru covers himself with the blanket, making sure to hide his naked feet under it, and waits.

After a while, his ears perk up when he hears the door’s lock opening. Trying to calm his pumping heart, Haru sees the door slowly opening to reveal the worker.

“’Morning,” the man says, not paying any attention to Haru in the least. Haru, as usual, doesn’t respond. He keeps looking at the man doing his job.

Seeing that food has arrived, the chickens exit the coops, tweeting and cackling, to surround the worker as he spreads the seeds.

His heart can't calm down, but Haru knows he has to control his pumping heart if he wants to live. As soon as the man turns his back to him, the little boy slowly uncovers himself, quietly standing up. His naked feet silently guide him behind the man’s back, but his blue eyes keep staring at the adult’s movements carefully. The man coughs suddenly, making Haru’s heart jump violently and his body stop, but nothing else comes from the man.

Haru gulps hard to prevent his heart from escaping through his mouth, realizing that his skin feels cold because of the sweat going down his temple. His knees are trembling and so are his hands. His blood rushes with adrenaline burning his whole body. He is half-way through the barn when the man stops feeding the animals, going to the hook. Haru sees as the man hangs the leather bag in the metal peg.

The heavy bag falls instantly.

“Shit!” The man exclaims, angrily seeing the mess in the floor. He crouches to sloppily pick up the seeds. The chickens immediately go to feast in the chaos.

Haru bites his lips between his teeth, trying to hold back his sigh of relief, and continues slowly walking to the door. Behind him, the man keeps cursing under his breath while trying to shoo away the animals.

“This fucking barn is so old…” Haru hears the man murmur.

The boy looks at the door. Just a little more and he will be free.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if it fucking falls apart…”

Just a few more steps.

“Kid, come and help me—“

Haru stops breathing.

“Hey! What are you doing?!”

He doesn’t look back, he starts running to the door and pushes it away, feeling the fresh air on his face for the first time in a long time but he doesn’t linger much on it because he has to keep running.

The green grass is wet by the morning dew under his feet, the cold wind fills his lungs, and the soft sunlight caresses his skin warmly. He doesn’t know where to run. All he knows is to run faster and as far away as he can.

“Come back here!”

An angry voice calls him from behind. Haru ignores it to continue running.

He is on the floor in the next second, his legs heavy from a weight that isn’t his, and the air being pushed forcefully out of his lungs. Haru looks back, finding the angry worker on the floor with him, clinging to his legs with extreme strength.

“You little shit!” The man grunts between his teeth, trying to stand up without letting Haru’s legs free.

Haru violently tries to squirm out of the man’s grip, using his hands to hold into the grass and pull himself.

It’s useless.

He is weak against the adult’s strength, and yet he doesn’t stop trying; even when his nails hurt, even when his fingertips are red, even when his head hurts from when he fell down.

The man is able to stand up, grabbing Haru by his ankles to pull him through the floor like a sack.

“Stop moving!”

He doesn’t obey. Haru kicks his legs repeatedly, starting to yell his lungs out. The boy looks behind for a moment, discovering that they are really close to the barn again.

“No! Don’t take me in!” Haru yells, angry.

“Shut up!”

The man picks him up from his middle easily, putting one hand over Haru’s mouth to keep him from screaming further. Haru bites the hand.

“Fuck!” The adult swears in pain. Haru tastes the blood inside his mouth.

The barn’s shadow looms over them, as a dark warning for Haru to announce how close they are to his jail.

When they pass the door, Haru takes the door’s metal handle in a desperate last attempt to stop the man from imprisoning him again.

“Let go, you little fucker!” The man yells at him, pulling his body inside the barn.

Haru doesn’t reply, he just strengthens his grasp in the handle, feeling his nails painfully sinking in his palms.

“I said! Let! Go!”

The worker pulls him one last time with enough force to make him free his clasp, throwing him away to the floor before closing the door with a slam, making the chickens and hens cackle loudly. Haru hits his head again, numbing his senses for a second but is soon awakened when the man starts yelling at him.

“Do you have **any** idea what would happen to **me** if you escaped?!”

The man’s face is deep red and shiny with sweat, his breath is ragged, and his fists are strongly balled up with one of them profusely bleeding from Haru’s bite. His eyes are wide open, looking directly to Haru’s blues.

“Don’t you dare try to escape again, you little shit!”

“I have to get out!” Haru replies this time, earning a strong slap in his face coming from the man. He tastes blood again.

“If you escape, then I’m finished!” The man yells back. “Just fucking accept your fate and get over it!”

“I can’t die here!”

Haru expects another hit, but it never comes. The man stays still. His eyes are looking at him intently.

“I have to get out,” he insists, this time his voice lower and trembling, full of anger and determination. “Someone is waiting for me. I have to get out.”

To Haru’s surprise, the man’s eyes shine a little with what it seems to be tears, and his breathing slightly calms down until he sighs deeply, closing his eyes. The worker turns his head up, facing the barn’s roof.

“I can’t let you go, kid,” the adult says after a moment of silence. “Do you think I like doing this?”

Haru doesn’t care about that.

“Do you think I like seeing all these kids fucking dying all the time?”

Haru doesn’t care about that.

“But I have a family, boy, and if you escape Lady Fuyuko would be angry and would fucking kill me.”

Haru doesn’t care about that.

“I can’t leave my family alone. Do you understand?”

Haru honestly doesn’t care about that.

They stare at each other in silence, the only sounds coming from the chickens around them. The man sighs one last time, turning around and leaving Haru behind on the floor, not without locking the door.

When he hears silence from outside, Haru starts to scream.

He is angry at life, at the world, at the man, and at the woman who tricked him. Ire flows in his veins like poison. Traveling to his heart and making his chest ache with burning fire. His head hurts, his slapped cheek hurts, his hands hurt, everything in his body hurts.

He places his hands on his head, his fingers tangling through his dark hair and clenching it painfully.

The word “failure” repeats again and again in the darkness of his mind. He failed. He failed Makoto. He won’t be able to keep his promise to Makoto. They won’t be together and it’s all because Haru failed—

“No.”

He murmurs. His body trembles.

“No, no.”

He can’t die here. He won’t die here. Makoto is waiting for him. Makoto knows they will be together. Haru has to do it. He has to. He will do it.

“I will do it.”

It’s just then when he remembers the man didn’t give him his piece of bread and bottle of milk.

The man doesn’t come back at midday, he returns until the sun is out and the sky is black with stars. When he enters, he slams the door behind him, keeping his eyes on Haru. The worker is carrying another leather bag. Haru sees the man’s hand, the one he bit, covered in bandages. This time he doesn’t go to the middle of the barn, he feeds the animals from the door.

Haru is way too tired and hungry to even think of trying something, so he just observes the man work from his corner, sitting on the hay over the blanket. He is wearing his shoes again.

After a few minutes, the man finishes his duty of feeding the animals. With a last sigh, he walks towards Haru, stopping before the child. He takes out the usual paper bag from his jacket, giving it to Haru.

The kid takes the bag, and his eyes widens when he feels it heavier. The worker doesn’t wait for Haru to open the bag, exiting the barn in a matter of seconds.

Driven by hunger and desperation, Haru opens the bag to find the known piece of bread and the bottle of milk. His blue eyes water when he sees a pear in the bottom of the bag.

He immediately eats it, tasting the sweetness and softness of the pulp in his tongue. It’s so juicy that the sugary liquid trails down his palm and wrist. In the back of his mind, he knows he should eat it slowly. He knows he should enjoy this fruit, but Haru is feeling so desperate and anxious that he can’t control himself. He even eats the pear’s heart. Only the little stick remains in his hand when he finishes.

Haru looks at the stick, brown and rough, tiny and alone in his palm.

Hot, clear tears trickle down his cheeks, falling to his lap to disappear in his dirty clothes. His throat gets clogged and his breathing becomes uneven. His body is trembling and he can’t do anything about it.

“Stop,” he tells himself, “Stop crying.”

But the tears ignore him.

“This is only for a while,” Haru continues, “You can do it.”

Ignoring his tears, Haru eats his bread and milk.

 

 

The next morning, the worker brings him his bread, his bottle of milk, and an apple.

At midday, the worker brings another pear.

At night, the worker brings an orange.

He continues to do so from then on.

 

 

Society loves to measure things. Kilograms, grams, kilometers, meters, etcetera. These things are measurable. It’s easy. It’s ascertainable. Every single time someone measures a kilogram, it will weight a kilogram. Every single time someone measures the distance between cities, it will be the same kilometers. Humans do this in order to have control in their lives and their surroundings.

But there is something that humans love to measure but can’t really control.

Time doesn’t care about humans’ measures and standards. Time only cares of being free. To time, it doesn’t matter if humans try to conceal it in meaningless concepts of seconds, minutes or hours.

To time, life is simply a consequence.

It’s for that that Haru doesn’t know how much time has passed. How long has he been in this jail he started to call “his own”? He doesn’t know. He doesn’t care in the first place. It doesn’t matter for how long he has stayed here, anyway.

His eyelids flutter open when he hears the chickens cackling that morning. Haru slowly sits down, feeling his back cracking. He would rub his eyes awake, but his hands are dirty as usual, and he can’t allow himself getting sick. Haru sees his legs, now longer and leaner.

The only measure of time he has it’s his own body.

He doesn’t know how long he has been locked in this barn, but it’s been enough to grow up outside of the clothes he arrived with. Haru now wears a shirt and some trousers the worker gave him once. Looking at the hole in the roof, Haru discovers the sky of a light gray color. That means the worker is about to arrive.

The boy hasn’t tried to escape again because he knows it would be useless. He doesn’t have the strength to force his way out against the worker, and the latter doesn’t walk to the middle of the barn to feed the chickens anymore, always blocking the only door to freedom.

With a creaking sound, the door opens slowly, but Haru isn’t welcomed by the man.

“Good morning, Haruka,” Lady Fuyuko greets him with a smile.

His heart pumps wildly against his chest, hammering his ribcage painfully, thanks to the adrenaline in his body. Haru’s hands tremble lightly with shocks of electricity traveling down his spine.

The worker stands behind the Dame. He looks gloom. The woman walks inside the barn slowly and deliberately. Her eyes never gazing away from Haru’s.

“It’s been a while, hasn’t it, Haruka? But you are still here!” Lady Fuyuko continues talking, all smiles.

Haru jumps off his place, running while yelling to the woman in front of him. It’s  **her** fault he is stuck here. It’s **her** fault he hasn’t find Makoto. It’s **her** fault he has been suffering all this time.

He wants to hurt her. He wants to cause her pain. He wants to destroy her.

A slap on his face stops him. It’s loud and it echoes within his ears and heart. His cheek burns with the penetrating pain.

“Disgraceful,” Lady Fuyuko says. She isn’t smiling anymore, and her eyes are cold as the freezing winter. “Haruka, this isn’t how a proper Lady behaves, is it?”

Haru doesn’t answer. His eyes fixed in the dirty floor. He feels numb from the shock of the slap his face just received. When Lady Fuyuko sees Haru won’t reply, she talks to the worker instead.

“Mr. Tadao!” She says, not even looking at the man, “Is this how a proper Lady behaves?”

“No, Ma’am,” the man – Mr. Tadao – answers, “It isn’t.”

“How should a proper Lady behave, Mr. Tadao?”

Lady Fuyuko starts walking around Haru while looking at him with disdained eyes. Mr. Tadao is about to answer when the Lady interrupts him.

“A proper Lady!” She begins, “Should always be obedient!” Lady Fuyuko hits Haru in the head with a slap. He just takes it, closing his eyes and clenching his teeth.

“Quiet!” Another slap, stronger.

“Good!” Another. Stronger.

Lady Fuyuko stops walking when she is in front of Haru, staring at him like he is made of dirt and shame.

“Obedient, quiet, good. That’s how a proper Lady behaves, Haruka. And you are doing a lousy job at it.”

The child stays quiet. The woman sighs.

“And here I thought you would be different from the others, Haruka,” the woman says. Her voice sounds actually disappointed. “I thought you would learn quickly. I thought you would have already finished with your training here. I even brought some good news from the Tachibana family for you, Haruka.”

At the mention of the Tachibana name, Haru turns his face up, looking at Lady Fuyuko with wide eyes.

“Makoto?” He murmurs. Lady Fuyuko smiles warmly.

“That’s right, Haruka. Just yesterday I went to the Tachibana Household,” she responds, chuckling a little. “And I saw Makoto there.”

Haru’s body trembles with excitement, with emotion and eagerness. She actually saw Makoto. She actually knows the Tachibana family. She wasn’t lying. She didn’t trick him.

“It’s the first time I have seen him, actually,” Lady Fuyuko keeps talking, “He is turning into a fine gentleman. He is so proper and educated, always. And, let me tell you, I foresee a future where he is a handsome man.”

Lady Fuyuko playfully winks at Haru.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if he gets married young, to be honest,” she comments, “I bet all the young women will be dying to do so. And, for what I saw yesterday, he is quite popular with the girls. You see, the Tachibana Family is a really good family. Getting married to them is truly a privilege.”

The woman sighs, defeated.

“And yet,” she makes a pause. “You aren’t ready to be a Lady.”

Haru gulps. His eyes water and his body trembles.

“You promised me. Didn’t you, Haruka? You promised me you would try to be a proper Lady, but all you have done is totally the contrary.” The woman pinches the bridge of her nose, shaking her head. “It just saddens me imagining what Makoto would think of you if he saw you behaving like this, Haruka.”

The tears fall down from his blue eyes. What would Makoto think? Would he be disappointed? Would he be mad at Haru because he hasn’t worked hard enough to keep his promise?

“Oh, Haruka.” Lady Fuyuko’s eyes water too. She walks to Haru with her arms open, cradling his head against her chest, patting the black hair. “Don’t cry, Haruka,” she coos, “It’s alright, my dear. I know you can do it if you try.”

The hot tears won’t stop falling into Lady Fuyuko’s dress. Haru’s body is trembling and he isn’t sure why it’s happening. He doesn't know if it's because he is being emotional or because he is scared.

“All you have to do is to follow your training, Haruka. It’s not that hard. And then you will meet Makoto, my dear.”

His body shakes harder at Makoto’s name, tightening his fists.

“I’m sure Makoto is dying to see you, Haruka.”

Haru locks his arms around the Dame’s waist, sobbing and bawling, saying he is sorry for everything between his ragged breathes. Lady Fuyuko continues to coo him, gently patting his head.

“Don’t worry, Haruka,” she whispers, calming and relaxing, “Tomorrow is a new day.”

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you [Mixestomix](https://twitter.com/mixestomix) for beta'ing.
> 
> Based on Mixestomix's dream.

The sun enters through his window. Golden light colors the white marble of the floor, as the wind gently plays with the light blue curtains hanging from the elegant silver track close to the roof. It’s spring, and it brings a bright morning with the birds sweetly singing in the distance.

He slowly wakes up from his slumber, opening his eyes but immediately closing them again as they are hit by the penetrating sun. He mumbles something illegible, turning on his stomach in hopes of escaping from the sun and its call, hiding his face deep in his fluffy pillow.

What time is it? He is sure the maid is coming soon to wake him up. He should get up by himself. That maid can be quite pushy if he doesn’t obey at the first call. With a last groan and push, he sits on the bed, yawning and trying to placate his wild hair with a hand. He cracks his back as he stretches his body when he stands up.

Walking to the window, he peeks through the curtains to see how the day looks like. It seems the day will be sunny, not a single cloud can be spotted in the distance. Which is perfect because a sunny day always means an opportunity to do something worthy.

He is quick to take a bath. His body relaxes in the warm water with the help of some scented oils he fell in love with the moment he tried them for the first time. It’s roses this time. It makes him travel through the depths of his mind to the orphanage, when in spring the garden was full of the beautiful flowers the nuns diligently took care of.

A smile adorns his lips. He remembers the tall trees he used to climb up, the vast and green plains he used to run in, and the amazing discoveries he did with his eternal companion.

He opens his eyes, focusing them on the regal roof. How many years has it been since he got here? Eight? Nine years? It’s difficult to keep track of it. It was so hard in the beginning, adjusting to this new life, mainly at the thought of the possibility of never ever meeting again with his childhood friend back in the orphanage.

_“I love you, Haru-chan.”_

His cheeks turn hot red at the memory.

_“Don’t worry. I know you love me too, Haru-chan.”_

He goes deeper in the water until his mouth is under it. For a moment he wonders if his best friend still has those kind of emotions for him, but he is quick to dismiss that absurd idea. Of course they both still feel the same. His heart still pumps wildly at the memory of their hands together. It’s impressive, from a point of view, how his love has persisted through all these years without changing. In fact, correct that, because he is pretty sure his love is even deeper now than what it was in those younger days.

It’s incredible, but it’s the truth.

After getting out of the comfortable bath and putting some clothes on, he looks at himself one last time in the mirror.

He has grown up so much. He is no longer that scrawny boy that arrived here all those years ago.

“Makoto,”

A voice calls his name so he turns around. His mother is standing with a smile at the door of his chambers.

“Good morning, mother. I’m surprised to see you this early in my room,” he replies, also with a smile.

“The surprised one is I, Makoto.” The woman walks to him, quickly adjusting his tie to look perfect. “You are actually up before the maid came to call you.”

“I am in no need of your teasing this early in the morning, mother,” he says with a laugh. “At any case, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?”

The woman swipes his shoulders, cleaning them from stubborn fuzz, before responding. “Your father and I were invited to a party tonight, son. And I would love to take you with us.”

“A party? I’m sure Ren and Ran will be happy to hear about this.”

Ren and Ran are his younger siblings. After a few years of Makoto being adopted, his parents decided to adopt them. It was then that he discovered Haru had been adopted just a few weeks later than him. He got really excited about it when he received the news. That just meant it was a matter of time to reunite once again with Haru. Of course, as time passed, Makoto started to lose hope more and more with each month and year. He still dreams of meeting Haru again. Of taking his hand and seeing his blue deep eyes.

“Ah, no, dear. Ren and Ran will stay at home tonight.” His mother deems his image to be perfect enough and she finally looks at him in the eyes. “This time, Makoto, I want you to pay attention.”

Makoto sighs, already knowing where this is going.

“Mother, I have told you. I don’t have any plans of getting married anytime soon.”

“Makoto, you are nineteen years old already. You should start to think about having a family of your own.”

This conversation has happened multiple times since he turned eighteen years old. He knows his mother is just thinking about what is best for his future, but he truthfully doesn’t like the idea of getting married to someone he doesn’t love. Call him old-fashioned, but he thinks love is an important aspect of a joyful and prosperous married life.

It’s alright though, he has plans of moving away any time soon to start college in another city. That should be the perfect excuse to postpone “much less important” things, such as marriage and family.

Still, he loves his mother and he will accept the invitation, even if he already knows how it will end.

“Alright, mother. I will go to the party, but I don’t promise anything of the sorts.”

His answer brings an honest smile to his mother’s lips. Her eyes shine brightly.

“Thank you, son. I know what you are thinking. But I repeat, Makoto, keep your eyes open. You don’t know what you will find out there if you don’t pay attention.”

“At what time is the party?” He asks, deciding to change the topic of the conversation to something less risky.

“Ah, it’s at 8 at night, Makoto. Don’t be late. You know I don’t like being late to parties.”

“Yes, mother. I know.”

The woman of green eyes smiles at him softly. “You have grown up, Makoto. And I can’t wait to see you turn into a full man with a lovely family of your own.”

Makoto smiles to his mother, easily feeling the love she professes to him inside his chest. It’s warm, soft, and it makes him feel bliss. He never asked his parents why did they decide to adopt children instead of having biological ones, but in the end he thinks it doesn’t even matter because the couple loves them – Makoto, Ren and Ran – just the same. Thanks to that, Makoto is able to say that he never ever felt like an outsider inside his parents’ lives. Makoto will be always and eternally thankful of what the Tachibana family, his own family, has given him.

The least he can do is go to a party and smile.

“Go have breakfast now, Makoto,” his mother says, softly patting a hand on his chest. “Your father will be waiting for you at his studio once you are done. He said something about your studies and accommodations in the city.”

“Yes, mother. Thank you.”

With a last smile, Makoto walks outside his room, directing his feet to the dining room while hearing his stomach rumble in protest for food.

Unlike his mother, his father doesn’t show much interest in Makoto’s love life, although not because he thinks is less important. The old man is more easy going about it, saying that the time will eventually come when it’s less expected. Nonetheless, Makoto still recognizes the faint sigh of hope whenever the subject of grandchildren arise.

After having a delicious breakfast of eggs, bacon, toast, fruit and juice, Makoto goes to where his father is waiting for him. When he enters the studio, he finds his father sitting at his desk reading the newspaper with much interest. The man stops when he hears the door open.

“Ah, Makoto! Good morning. Come on in, come on in,” the older man beckons, offering his son a chair. “We have to review your papers for your upcoming moving.”

Makoto frowns with a smile, confused. “Isn’t it a bit early for that, father?”

The young man sits anyway in a chair in front of his father’s imposing desk.

“Nonsense, Makoto! It’s never too early to decide on one’s future.” Makoto’s father is wearing a wide smile, looking rather excited about this whole thing. Makoto can’t help it when he also smiles. His father’s enthusiasm has always sticked to him easily.

“Mother told me about tonight’s party,” he comments, taking a piece of paper his father offers him. It’s a brochure talking about multiple departments in the city, close to the University he is taking interest in.

“She insists on taking you.” The older man seems to find the idea funny, chuckling at the end. “She is afraid of you ending up all alone and bitter like an old man.”

“Just because I don’t get married, it means I’m going to end up like that.”

“No, of course not, Makoto. But having someone to lean on whenever necessary is always nice.”

Makoto doesn’t reply, seeing his father check some other papers while mumbling to himself as he usually does when he is concentrated. He is honestly glad his parents aren’t forcing him into anything as he knows of some other families of doing; with arranged marriages between people who haven’t ever met. Makoto knows he is lucky because that is how things work in this world – then again, his parents aren’t exactly a good example of the norm as they decided to adopt instead of having biological children. All his parents are asking from him is to meet new people and getting to know them.

The problem is that Makoto isn’t interested in the least on new people. All he wants is to reunite with Haru and spend the rest of his life with him.

“I know that, father,” Makoto finally says, “But right now I prefer to think of my own future, rather than think in a shared one.”

“Ha! You say that right now because you haven’t found the correct woman, son. Have I ever told you how I met your mother?”

Makoto laughs while rolling his eyes. “Just about a hundred times, father.”

“It was autumn with the winter barely coming. I remember because my hands were so cold…”

His father tells the story, and Makoto listens without complain. He isn’t exaggerating when he says it’s about a hundred times. Makoto can practically recite the story from up to down and from down to up. But the young man doesn’t care about that because he enjoys seeing how his father’s eyes shine every time he recounts the day he met the love of his life.

Truth be told, the story fills Makoto’s heart with hope and dreams of finding his true love of blue eyes one day.

The day continues without much trouble. Makoto reviews moving papers with his father, enjoys a cup of tea and pastries with his mother, and plays softball with his siblings Ran and Ren; all before returning to his bedroom to prepare himself for the party.

When he enters the room, his mother is standing before his wardrobe with its doors open and taking out different suits to check them. A maid is right behind his mother, silently waiting orders.

“Mother, I think I’m old enough to decide what clothes I will wear,” he says as he closes the door behind him.

“Of course you are, Makoto,” the woman replies but doesn’t stop either way, “It’s just that you don’t know what to wear to bring out your qualities, dear.”

She takes out a dark green suit with a black vest, putting it in front of Makoto to try to picture him in it. “See?” She exclaims, “This suit brings out your eyes so nicely.”

“Mother, if you allow me to ask…”

His mother gives the maid the suit for ironing, but she never breaks eye contact with him. “What is it, Makoto?”

“Why are you so insistent on me finding someone?”

The woman just keeps looking at him at first, as if she is choosing her words carefully inside her head. Until she sighs, looking down with a smile.

“I know it must be bothersome, Makoto, with me insisting so much on this,” his mother starts, “But it’s just…”

This time her eyes turn up to him, meeting Makoto’s greens. The man is surprised to find his mother’s eyes bright and wet. Those eyes have a nostalgic veil over them, and for some reason it makes Makoto’s heart lurch.

“Since you were a child you have had this… this look in your eyes,” the woman continues, “Like you are waiting for something to happen. Like you are missing something. At first I thought it was because you missed the orphanage and that eventually you would get over it, but it never happened.”

Makoto gulps down the rock inside his throat.

“You still have that look, Makoto. Whenever you are lost in your thoughts I can see your eyes distant. As if you are looking for something.”

His mother’s small hand pats him on a shoulder. It feels weirdly comforting.

“So, I thought that maybe that ‘something’ is actually a ‘someone’,”

Makoto bites his lips, trying to conceal the fountain of emotions being born inside his chest.

“I’m sorry if I have ever made you feel uncomfortable, son. That wasn’t my goal with all of this.”

“No, it’s alright, mother.” He gently holds his mother’s hand. “You are worried about me. That’s what mothers do.”

He smiles in hopes of reassuring his mother that everything is alright. It works, his mother returning the smile softly.

“I better leave you alone so you can get ready, dear.”

Makoto nods in silence. The woman exits the room just as the maid returns with his freshly ironed suit.

It’s a long trip to the party. It’s so long that Makoto’s legs start to hurt from sitting in the carriage. He doesn’t even know whose party this is as he never thought of asking because it really doesn’t matter to him. He is sitting in front of his parents, who are talking amicably about something Ren and Ran did early that day. His mother is wearing a really elegant dress, the cloth shines against the light, and her hair is fixed into an intricate bun with a big and regal ribbon in the back of her head; his father is also wearing an elegant suit and gloves. Both of them seem to be having fun by themselves just fine.

Makoto smiles slightly. This shouldn’t be so bad.

They finally arrive to where the party is held. It’s a mansion Makoto has never visited before and – even though his own household is anything but simple, he still marvels at the elegance of the red brick and the fountain in the front garden.

The carriage stops just in front of the main door where a butler helps his mother alight from it. The mansion is already full of people of all sizes all of them wearing their best suits, dresses and brooches. Makoto finds it odd when he sees the young men fixing their ties constantly in whatever reflective surface they can find. The interior of the mansion is just as impressive: marble floors, sophisticated art pieces hanging from the walls, and refined pots full of white roses.

A butler guides them through to the hall where the people are concentrating. The wide room is enormous, decorated just as gracefully and stylish as the rest of the house. In the back of the hall, a striking and elegant staircase falls from a second floor.

“It’s been a while since I have seen this many people in a party,” Makoto’s mother whispers to the men.

“It’s not surprising, dear, taking into consideration the purpose of this reunion,” his father answers.

“Purpose?” Makoto asks confused. His father lightly laughs.

“You didn’t tell Makoto what this party is about, wife?”

“Well, neither did you, husband.” She also laughs.

“You see, Makoto,” the man starts to explain, “We were invited because—“

“May I have your attention, please?”

The whole room falls in silence at the sound of that interrupting voice. On one of the stairs’ steps is standing an old lady, porting an astounding dress and a wide smile. Makoto concludes she must be the host of the party. She looks somewhat familiar in the back of his mind.

“I want to thank you all for accepting my invitation tonight,” the old lady keeps talking, “Mainly to the young men,” she says playfully and everyone in the room laughs a little. 

Even her voice sounds familiar. A distant song from long ago.

“But this day has finally arrived! And it brings happiness and joy to my poor old heart.” The woman puts her hands over her chest, where the heart must be. “Without further ado, I present to you…”

She quiets down to fill the room with suspense. Her tiny black eyes travel around the room like she is trying to find a mystical treasure.

“My daughter, Haruka!”

The woman says, facing behind her to the top of the stairs while clapping excitedly. The rest of the room follows her, clapping too, and fixing their eyes in that same direction.

Makoto feels his breath being taken away.

At the top of the stairs is a woman. Her skin is white as pearls, her hair black as the night, and long to the waist, a brooch with pearls and white roses adorns her, while her dress is of a light blue with white adornments. She has the bluest eyes he has ever seen.

The woman slowly goes down the stairs, passing by the old lady who is proudly looking at her. The young lady walks gracefully, not a single missed step or any unnecessary movement are seen. She reflects such perfection and elegance that she doesn’t look like someone born in this world.

He doesn’t realize when he starts walking. He doesn’t even realize he isn’t the only one walking towards the stairs. But soon he is standing with a group of men at the foot of the stairs.

The lady stops at the last step, remaining tall above everyone else, and just like the old woman before she starts looking for something with her eyes, stopping her search when she meets Makoto’s green eyes. He swears on his life those eyes exploded brightly like the night sky.

Makoto recognizes those blue eyes.

The young man is quick to make his way to the front of the group, not even excusing himself when he accidentally bumps into the other people, with his eyes fixed on the blue ones because he is afraid of looking away. When he finally is before the woman, Makoto extends his gloved hand towards her, fearing for a moment that everything is just an illusion but when he feels the delicate hand over his, his senses are filled with the scent of roses.

“Haru,” he whispers because he can’t find his breath.

The person before him smiles softly at him.

“I found you, Makoto.”

Everyone and everything else disappears from his reality as soon as he hears that voice travel to his heart, shocking it with electricity and adrenaline. His eyes water and burn. He has to blink multiple times to prevent the tears from falling down his cheeks.

“People are staring, Makoto,” Haru tells him, smiling gently.

Makoto doesn’t answer. Instead he bites his lips between his teeth and nods, but he still doesn’t let go of Haru’s hand. The other man chuckles in that silent way of his – through his nose rather than his lips – and goes down the final step of the stairs.

“Young Makoto!” A third voice interrupts in their world, breaking the bubble around them. It’s the old Dame, all smiles and excited eyes, standing next to them. At what moment did she get so close? “I assume you don’t remember me, right? You were so little when we first met!”

The rest of the men start to walk away, seeing that the old woman is talking directly to Makoto and completely ignoring everyone else. All of them look disappointed.

“My name is Lady Fuyuko,” she says, smiling warmly, “I especially wanted you to meet my daughter, Makoto. You don’t have any idea how hard she has worked to finally meet you!”

Lady Fuyuko laughs a little, friendly patting Makoto in an arm.

“Lady Fuyuko, good evening!” Makoto’s mother says when she arrives along with her husband. “It’s been a while, isn’t it?”

“It indeed is, Mrs. Tachibana. I’m glad you accepted my invitation.”

“Your daughter is truly beautiful, Lady Fuyuko,” Makoto’s father compliments, “You had her very guarded, right? The best kept secret in the world.” The man laughs.

“Oh, Mr. Tachibana, stop it,” Lady Fuyuko complains, jokingly hitting him. “The only secret was how she looked like, wasn’t it?”

“Ah, yes, I remember you saying Haruka was sent to study abroad,” Makoto’s mother says. “To England, if I’m not mistaken.”

“You are correct, dear Mrs. Tachibana.”

Makoto doesn’t know how to react. All this information seems to be too much to process in so little time. Daughter? England? His parents knew about Haru? Or “Haruka”? He looks to his childhood friend, who is silent to permit Lady Fuyuko talk without interruption. Makoto has a lot of questions he wants to ask right now.

“Ah, Haruka, dear,” the old Lady says suddenly, putting a hand over Haru’s shoulder, “Why don’t you and Makoto go to the gardens? I’m sure you both have a lot to talk about.”

Lady Fuyuko smirks teasingly, making Makoto blush hard when he remembers he is still holding Haru’s hand. Worst of all, both his parents smile just the same.

“Yes, mother,” Haru answers, promptly pulling Makoto out of the hall.

His companion guides them through the mansion, turning around corners and walking down long corridors. Makoto feels lost, but Haru clearly knows where he is going with determined steps. Soon they exit the mansion, at the back part of it, where they are surrounded by bushes, flowers, statues and other elegant furniture. The black sky is full of bright stars that seem to shimmer magically. Haru stops walking when they arrive, immediately facing Makoto, and his perfectly colored lips turn into a smile.

“I can’t believe it really is you, Makoto,” Haru says, and Makoto laughs.

“It’s me who can’t believe this, Haru,” he replies, looking Haru up and down, “Why are you wearing this? And why does Lady Fuyuko calls you ‘daughter’ and ‘Haruka’?”

Haru sighs, his smile never ending, and starts to slowly walk.

“It’s a long story,” Haru starts. “Two weeks later after you got adopted, Lady Fuyuko, my mother, arrived to the orphanage and took me with her.”

Makoto remains silent, letting Haru continue his story. He already knew Haru was adopted just two weeks later than him, but he never suspected he would actually be this close.

“My mother told me she actually wanted a girl, but that decided to adopt me anyways. We had this kind of agreement, if you may call it something, where I would become a woman and she would make it possible for me to meet you.”

“But… why a woman?”

Haru stands before him, impeding Makoto from walking anymore, and takes both of his hands.

“I accepted because I want to be with you, Makoto, for the rest of my life.”

Makoto stops breathing for a moment.

“And like this, with me being a woman, we can do it. No one will question us and we can be together.”

Makoto starts trembling, feeling his knees and heart weak. Haru did this for him, for them, so they can stay together for eternity. Haru created a whole new persona in order to be together. That brims Makoto with a deep love and adoration for the man before him that he almost can’t handle it.

“Yes, Haru,” Makoto says, again a mere whisper because his lungs are failing him for air. “Together. We will be together. Haru, I love you.”

Feeling an urgent need to be close to Haru, he interlaces their fingers, pulling him towards his own space with ease.

Makoto bites his lips, remembering the long days where all he did was think about blue eyes, warm hands under the cover, and black, shiny hair. He remembers the yearning, the longing, the nostalgia, the sensation of having missing a piece of his life.

And now that missing piece is right before him, looking at him with bright eyes and parted lips.

“Haru, I never stopped thinking about you. I never stopped wishing to be with you.”

Haru’s blue eyes widen and for the first time in the night he looks as flustered as Makoto feels.

“Me too, Makoto. I love you. Everything I did, I did it for us. Because I promised you I would find you, and you trusted me to keep my word. Each day I woke up thinking of the day I would finally meet you. Of how much I want to be with you, of how my destiny is linked with yours. And now…”

Haru looks like he is about to break of emotion, like his heart is about to explode like a cannon with everything he is feeling.

“And now we will be together, and no one can tear us apart, Makoto.”

Makoto’s heart starts yelling and he is afraid of it dying.

“I want to kiss you so badly, Haru.”

“That isn’t how a proper gentleman behaves, Makoto.”

He chuckles, shaking his head and looking to the grass below them. “No, it isn’t, Haru.”

“But…”

Makoto looks up to Haru.

“I guess once in a while is alright, isn’t it?”

Makoto doesn’t waste a second, closing the space between them but stops just before their lips meet. His heart is pumping wildly, and he feels Haru’s breath hitting his lips; his own breath slows down. Makoto opens his eyes, finding himself immersed in the deep blue of Haru’s orbs.

“Do it, Makoto,” Haru whispers.

He blindly obeys. Their lips meet. Pleasure explodes through his body and he has to hold on Haru by his arms to steady himself because he feels like his soul is abandoning his body. All those times he tried to imagine this, to imagine how Haru’s lips feel like, how he would smell, how it would happen. Not even in his dreams it felt this perfect.

His once broken universe is finally returning to normal, it’s stitching itself back to fullness, with each of Haru’s heart beats, with his own heart beats dancing in unison in a perfect waltz.

It feels natural. It feels like this is how it’s supposed to be. It feels like their souls are once again complete.

They slowly break away the kiss, opening their eyes and linking their gazes.

“Marry me, Haru,” Makoto says before thinking.

Haru’s breath visibly stops, a gasp escapes from his lips, and suddenly the blue of his eyes is wet with tears.

“Yes, Makoto. I will marry you.”

Makoto feels like yelling, like jumping, like he can do anything in this world as long as Haru is with him.

But, for now, Makoto will be satisfied with kissing Haru again.

 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you [Mixestomix](https://twitter.com/mixestomix) for beta'ing.
> 
> Based on Mixestomix's dream.

“Mother, I’m going out today.”

Makoto is standing at the entrance of the tea room, where his mother is sitting with Ren and Ran reading them a book while Duchess, the old white cat, is sitting comfortably on Ran’s lap. The older woman looks at him, impressed but still with a knowing smile. On the other hand, both Ran and Ren complain.

“Again?” Ran questions, standing up from her seat, Duchess meows in complaint when her nap is interrupted. “I thought you would play with us today!”

“Now, now, Ran,” their mother tries to calm her down with a gentle voice, “You are too young to understand these adult things.”

“Adult things look boring.”

“Oh, Ran. I assure you, your brother Makoto is anything but bored,” the woman giggles. Makoto groans.

“Mother, please stop your teasing,” Makoto says. Ren also stands up from his seat, talking.

“But it’s the truth! You have been going to Lady Fuyuko’s house almost everyday!”

“That’s right!” Ran agrees, crossing her arms and pouting her lips.

“Children, children!” The woman intervenes again, closing the book as seeing that they won’t be able to return to their reading. “It’s normal for Makoto to want to be with his loved one, isn’t it? Like your father and I.”

At the comparison, both children widen their eyes, and Ran’s mouth falls open.

“Brother is getting married?!” Ran yells. Makoto groans again.

It’s been three months since he met with Haru back at that party. Three wonderful months of being together with Haru. His little siblings aren’t lying when they say he has been in Lady Fuyuko’s mansion a lot lately, guided by his desire to be close with Haru after all those years of being away. Makoto feels like they have a lot of time to make up for. He is sure Haru is feeling the same.

Although Makoto proposed since night one, neither him or Haru has told anyone of their plans. Makoto is aware that there are some reputations to be held. Mainly with Haru’s situation of creating a new identity. Only Makoto, Haru, and Lady Fuyuko – therefore her staff – know about Haru’s nature and origins. Everyone else believes Haru is “Haruka”, Lady Fuyuko’s daughter who traveled to England to study and just got back. It would be strange to get married immediately after “meeting for the first time”. Not to forget Makoto’s reluctance to marriage for the last year.

Still, his parents don’t question anything he is doing. It’s plain obvious Makoto is interested in Haru – Haruka – as he goes to visit her at least twice or thrice a week. But he can’t help it.

“No, Ran,” Makoto answers his sister, “I’m not getting married.”

“So he says,” his mother murmurs under her breath, “Oh, I know!”

His mother stands up, leaving the book on the table, and smoothing her dress.

“Why don’t you invite Lady Fuyuko and Miss Haruka to have dinner tomorrow?” She offers, “Like that, little Ran and Ren can get to know Miss Haruka.”

“I won’t like her!” Ran concludes.

“Me neither!” Ren follows.

Their mother just laughs. “Alright, children, let’s not distract your brother any longer. Be nice and say your goodbyes.”

Pouting their lips, both children turn around to face Makoto – the brunette has to control himself to not chuckle at the sight – and they talk in unison, “See you later, big brother.”

“I promise I will play with you tomorrow,” Makoto says, “We can show Miss Haruka your favorite games, I’m sure she will be delighted.”

The children don’t reply, evidently suspicious of the new “intruder” in their lives.

After saying his farewell, Makoto leaves the house to ride the carriage.

That night three months ago was life changing. After their time alone in the garden, they went back to the hall to where their parents were. The three adults smiled at them. Makoto saw both his father and mother’s eyes shimmering with delight. Not to mention that Lady Fuyuko was gloating in pride and joy. It’s wonderful to know Haru and he have their parents’ support and permission for their growing relationship.

They danced and danced for the rest of the night. Their eyes never looked away and their hands linked together. Haru looked so perfect, magical, divine, and out of this world. So full of grace and elegance. Each step, each swirl, and each bow done with precision.

Makoto had never witnessed something so beautiful before. He still feels entranced whenever he remembers their dance.

His mother also stopped insisting about marriage, seeing how Makoto practically follows Haruka around. Makoto is sure his mother is just patiently waiting for the announcement of their engagement. His father stopped talking about love too, and suddenly he isn’t as persisting about College as he used to be, saying that time for those things will come eventually, and that Makoto should enjoy life a little more slowly. Makoto knows for sure his father is just waiting for the announcement of their engagement as well.

Lady Fuyuko isn’t as subtle as his parents. She openly talks about Makoto and Haruka’s future together, about marriage and the wedding; she even offered buying them their new house once they decide where to move to.

“You are going to College, right, Makoto?” She asked one day, “You and Haruka can move to your College’s city once you are married! I imagine a big two story building in the center of the city. It will be wonderful.”

Being honest, Makoto feels a little embarrassed when he hears Lady Fuyuko talking like that. But it also fills his heart with a warm feeling to know that the old Lady supports Haru so much.

After a few hours, the carriage finally stops in front of Lady Fuyuko’s mansion. He is welcomed by a butler who greets him by his name already.

“Good evening, Mr. Makoto. I see you arrived a little earlier this time,” the butler, an old man with a wrinkled face, comments with a smile. “Do not worry, Miss Haruka is already waiting for you.”

Feeling flustered, Makoto simply nods as he enters the mansion to the lobby. In there, Lady Fuyuko receives him with a smile and open arms.

“Young Makoto! I welcome you to my house yet again.” She offers him her hand.

The man walks to her, taking the little hand to kiss it. “It’s always a pleasure to be taken in your wonderful home, Lady Fuyuko.”

“Ah, Makoto, you are such a great gentleman. I’m so happy my precious Haruka is with you. But, please, come. Haruka is practicing the piano right now. I will take you there myself.”

They start to walk through the halls and corridors. Makoto has been slowly learning and memorizing the mansion, as he passes a lot of his time here now. He practically knows every room in the house with the exception for Haru’s and Lady Fuyuko’s bedrooms.

“A proper Lady doesn’t invite in a man to her chambers,” Haru told him when he was giving Makoto a tour through the mansion.

As they walk, the silence is filled with a soothing tune. A gentle song echoing in the corridors that intensifies with each step they take. Lady Fuyuko guides him to a room with closed doors that she opens immediately. The music increases as the sunlight blinds Makoto for a moment.

The room is of a medium size, with wide windows coming from the roof to the floor, crowned with elegant translucent and white curtains. The floor is of a warm and polished wood, and regal furniture adorns the space. In the middle of the ethereal scene, is Haru playing the piano. His delicate hands are moving to the compass of the song masterfully. He is wearing an evening dress, his black hair fixed in a bun with a silver brooch.

Haru is so entranced in his own world that he doesn’t notice when the doors open, and neither Lady Fuyuko nor Makoto dare to take him off his space. They stand there waiting for him to finish.

“She is so beautiful, isn’t she?” Lady Fuyuko whispers to him, but she never stops looking at Haru.

“Yes, she is,” Makoto answers.

“I’m sure you already know this, Makoto, but she loves you so much.”

Makoto bites his lips. His green eyes are centered on Haru’s figure.

“She has worked so hard to get here,  to finally be able to meet you,” she laughs softly, “It wasn’t easy at first, I must confess, but in the end it was worth it.”

They fall silent as Haru’s music accelerates, taking a more rapid rhythm.

“Isn’t that right, Makoto?”

Makoto licks his lips when he feels the ghost of a memory of a kiss.

“Yes,” he replies, “It was.”

The music stops, having Haru finished playing, and when Makoto is about to start clapping, Haru stands up but takes a false step. He trips a little but doesn't fall. Makoto hears a soft “fucking dress” from Haru, and he bites his lips between his teeth to not laugh.

“Haruka!” Lady Fuyuko calls him. She looks flustered. “That’s **not** how a proper Lady speaks!”

Haru looks up to them, surprised at seeing the audience. It may be Makoto’s imagination, but his lover looks stunned at the reprimand.

“I’m sorry, mother,” Haru says in a second, “I’m really sorry.”

Nonetheless, Lady Fuyuko looks tense with her lips tightly closed in a line.

“Haruka dear, please be more careful of your tongue.”

“Yes, mother. It won’t happen again.” Haru elegantly bows to his mother. That seems to be good enough because Lady Fuyuko calms down.

“Good, Haruka,” the old Lady says, smiling warmly. “Alright, I will leave you two alone. Makoto, I’m guessing you will be staying for dinner?”

“If you receive me, Lady Fuyuko, I would be more than glad. Ah, Now that you mention it, my mother told me to invite you and Miss Haruka to eat dinner in the Tachibana house tomorrow.”

The invitation makes Lady Fuyuko smile brightly, her tiny black eyes widening and shimmering.

“What an honor! Of course we accept. I was precisely thinking the other day it was about time our families get to know each other more closely. Isn’t that right, Haruka?”

She turns to face Haru, who nods slightly before answering, “Yes, mother. It’s an honor.”

“It’s decided, then! We can talk about the details at dinner. Have fun, Makoto, Haruka.”

Lady Fuyuko exits the room. Haru sighs profusely as soon as the Dame’s steps disappear. Makoto laughs a little.

“She looks strict,” Makoto comments.

“You don’t have any idea,” Haru replies, sitting down the piano chair again, pushing some keys randomly. Still, he is quick to add, “But she is good to me.  She helped me become this.”

Haru sounds nostalgic and distant. Lost. A flash of memories from the past invading his head. Makoto walks to him to sit in the piano chair next to Haru.

In these three months, Makoto has talked about his whole life with Haru. From the moment he first arrived to the Tachibana household, to what he did the night before finally reuniting. He told Haru about how he fell from the horse when he first tried to ride, he told Haru about how difficult it was for him to get used to some weird foods, and he told Haru about how he learnt to read. Makoto has tried so hard to tell Haru everything about himself.

But Haru is a mystery for Makoto.

His childhood friend doesn’t talk much about himself. Just a few words of random memories he shares. Makoto laughed so much when Haru told him about the first time he tried to wear high heels, or when he first wore a corset and couldn’t breathe freely for the first week, or how weird the makeup felt on his face. But other than that, Haru keeps his life like a secret treasure.

Makoto doesn’t mind. He will patiently wait like he always does until Haru feels ready to be open about everything.

“I’m excited to present you to my little siblings,” Makoto says, deciding to change the subject, “Though, I must warn you, they are a little reluctant of meeting you.”

Haru laughs a little silently. “Is it because I’m stealing their dear big brother?”

“Well...” Makoto starts, laughing while pushing some piano keys, “I admit I may have left them a little forgotten after finding you.”

Seeing Makoto pushing keys, Haru decides to start playing a slow piece on his side of the piano. Makoto recognizes it as Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata.

“That means I must win them, doesn’t it?”

“They may look a little threatening, at first, but they are really sweet. All you have to do is to play for a while with them and they will see how amazing you are, Haru.”

His companion smiles softly at that. Haru's blue eyes are fixed in the white keys of the piano, and his hands move gracefully.

“Hey, Haru.” His lover hums as an answer. “When are we getting married?”

Haru’s hands lose control for a second, before regaining it expertly as if nothing happened, but he stays silent. Makoto doesn’t feel rejected or anything like that. He knows Haru is thinking deeply about it; organizing his thoughts to choose the correct words to express and communicate his feelings.

Music embraces them, covering them with a relaxing atmosphere. They are surrounded with the elegance of the room. Flooding their senses with warmth and bliss. Makoto closes his eyes, letting the music transport him into a private world he only shares with Haru. His first and eternal love.

It isn’t until the music stops that Makoto heavily opens his eyes.

“Six months.”

Haru’s soft voice reaches his ears. Makoto looks at him.

“Let’s get married in six months.”

Makoto smiles, taking Haru’s hand in his own and squeezing it.

“Alright, Haru.”

 

He doesn’t know how he could name what he is feeling. Nervous? Yes. Excited? That too. Scared? Maybe a little.

But he can’t do anything about it. Much less when his little siblings refuse to come out from behind of his legs.

“Ren, Ran,” Makoto says, his voice quivering a little, “Please be nice and greet Lady Fuyuko, and Miss Haruka.”

“Oh, it’s alright, Makoto,” Lady Fuyuko says lightheartedly, smiling and batting her hand, “Children are like that. I remember my little Haruka not talking to anyone in England whenever I went to visit her.”

They are standing in the middle of the Tachibana’s mansion lobby. Makoto’s parents are also there, smiling and apologizing on their children’s behalf, laughing. Lady Fuyuko and Haru have just arrived for dinner.

“I brought a gift,” Haru announces, showing a basket covered with a lace napkin. “They are cookies.”

“Haruka made them herself!” Lady Fuyuko adds, “And let me tell you, she is really good at baking.”

The basket is attractive enough to pick the children’s attention. They look at their mother at the same time. Their eyes silently ask for permission.

“Just one, children,” the woman permits.

But the children don’t go out of their hiding place, unsure if they should release their brother’s legs. Seeing this, Haru walks close to them, crouching with such elegance that Makoto almost opens his mouth to gasp, and offers them the basket while removing the napkin.

A fragrant and delicious scent blesses their noses. It smells of butter and sweet. The cookies are of a perfect golden color, lightly covered with white glaze. Makoto’s mouth waters, tempted to grab a cookie for himself. The children are quick to grab theirs, biting them in a second, and they both tense and open their eyes wide.

“Delicious!” Ran says.

“Really delicious!” Ren agrees.

Haru smiles softly at them. Makoto bites his lips to prevent himself from sputtering something embarrassing.

“Let us go to sit, ladies,” Makoto’s father says, “We should hurry and eat dinner because I also want some of those cookies, Miss Haruka.”

Everyone laughs along with him, walking to the dining room where a team of maids are already waiting for them to serve the food.

Makoto’s father sits at the head of the table, while his mother sits on the man’s right, Makoto, Ren and Ran sit next to her, and the guests – Lady Fuyuko and Haru – sit at the left side of the table. Haru is sitting in front of Makoto, which makes things a little embarrassing because they can’t help it when they send furtive glances and smiles to each other while eating.

“Tell me, Miss Haruka,” Makoto’s mother begins, “In what part of England did you reside?”

“London, Mrs. Tachibana,” Haru answers.

“My precious Haruka stayed with some relatives of mine over there,” Lady Fuyuko says, “It was hard to see her part, but it was necessary for her education.”

“And do you speak the language, Miss Haruka?” This time it’s Makoto’s father who asks, “English, I mean.”

“Yes, Mr. Tachibana. It was a little hard to learn.”

“She says that but she is so smart,” Haru’s mother adds, “She got it almost right away. I was really impressed.”

The dinner continues with the pleasant conversation and delicious food. Makoto notes how Ren and Ran get gradually impatient, eyeing the tempting basket full of heavenly cookies. Makoto admits he is also feeling eager himself.

“I think I’m talking in behalf of everyone when I say that I’m dying to try those cookies, Miss Haruka,” Makoto’s father says, “Would you please honor us?”

Haru simply smiles, taking the little basket and uncovering it, placing it in the middle of the table. The children are prompt to reclaim more cookies and eat them. Everyone else take one cookie, biting into them with a little more elegance than the young ones.

“Oh, it’s so good!” Makoto’s mother exclaims, covering her mouth with her free hand, “I think they are much better than our chef’s, isn’t that right, darling?”

“I think you are right, my love. Just look at Makoto.”

Hearing his name, Makoto opens his eyes – not knowing at what moment he closed them – and blushes hard. He loves sweets, being baked pastries and cakes his favorites, and Haru’s cookies taste like Heaven itself.

“Haruka is really talented,” Lady Fuyuko compliments, “She also plays the piano, makes beautiful embroidery, and paints!”

It’s evident Lady Fuyuko is proud of Haru and his abilities, as her eyes shine and her lips smile widely and brightly. Makoto completely understands her; he also feels proud of how much Haru can do, and how wonderful he is at everything he does. It’s almost unreal how much talent resides in Haru’s lean body. Makoto can barely contain his own admiration.

Looking at Haru, Makoto discovers him gazing down at the table, not meeting anyone’s eyes. Haru looks nervous. Tense. Probably because of all the compliments he is getting.

After finishing the last cookie, Lady Fuyuko and Makoto’s parents go to the living room to have tea, while the young couple is guided by the children to the playroom. Said room is spacious, full to the brim of different toys, children’s books, and other infant paraphernalia. It seems the cookies were good enough to break the ice, because soon Ren and Ran are ignoring Makoto on behalf of centering their full attention on Haru.

Makoto is standing in a corner of the room, watching Haru elegantly sitting down in the middle and his siblings bringing toys to him.

“This is my favorite sword, Miss Haruka!” Ren says, swinging a wooden sword, pretending to slay dangerous dragons, “I’m really good with it.”

“Don’t be dumb, Ren! Miss Haruka doesn’t care about your dumb sword,” Ran reprimands him. The boy simply sticks out his tongue to her. “She is a lady, so she likes other stuff. Like my doll!” The little girl shows the toy. It's a beautiful porcelain doll with curly hair and a red dress.

“I think both things are really great,” Haru gently corrects Ran, “When I was little I didn’t have any of this.”

Makoto clears his throat, thinking that it’s the moment to intervene. “Ren, Ran, Miss Haruka comes from the same place as us. She was my best friend back then.”

The children’s eyes open widely just as their mouths. They look at Makoto really impressed before turning to Haru.

“Really?!” Both children ask in unison. Haru lightly laughs.

“Yes, it’s true. But this must be kept a secret, alright?” Haru poses a finger over his lips. “Between us four.”

Ran and Ren put their own fingers on their lips. “A secret,” they say.

“Miss Haruka,” Ran calls him, looking a little bashful out of nowhere, “Would you tell us about big brother in that place? He doesn’t tell us anything when we ask.”

“Ah, that must be because of that time he wet the bed.”

“Ha—Miss Haruka!” Makoto interrupts, feeling his cheeks burn in red, “Don’t tell them that! That’s embarrassing!”

Haru laughs, covering his mouth, while both Ren and Ran insist him to continue with the story.

As time advances and the sun goes down, the sky slowly turns black. With the darkness, the children’s energy and giggles start to disappear to be replaced by drowsiness and tired yawns. Makoto orders them to go to sleep, but they both refuse, saying that they want to stay longer with Miss Haruka. They only accept to be taken away by a maid when Haru promises to come another day with more cookies and other goods.

Makoto helps Haru to stand up, and he delicately pats his dress to smooth it.

“Your little siblings are wonderful,” Haru comments, looking around the room, “For a moment I was actually afraid of them not liking me.” Makoto laughs.

“The cookies were a bright idea.”

Haru looks at him silently, softly smiling, and suddenly the silence of the room – with the children’s absence – feels too big in Makoto’s heart that starts to beat against his chest. His eyes go down for a second to Haru’s pink colored lips. It’s enough for Haru to notice it because then he licks his lips.

They haven’t kissed again since that night they found each other again. Makoto won’t lie and say he hasn’t think about it every now and then, but he usually is able to suppress the yearning, feeling fascinated by Haru’s whole existence. And he knows Haru is the same. Multiple times Makoto has caught Haru looking at him. Bewitched and in silence.

“Haru,” Makoto decides to call him, taking a step further towards his companion, relieved to see that Haru allows him to get closer.

Taking Haru’s hand, Makoto softly kisses it, never taking his eyes from Haru’s blues. Makoto kisses his hand once, twice, and again. Each time Haru’s body trembles. Makoto ventures his other hand to Haru’s waist, placing it there firmly. He can feel the hard corset under Haru’s dress. Interlacing their fingers, Makoto rests their hands over his chest, while pulling Haru closer.

Once again, Haru permits it, and that gives Makoto enough courage to tilt his head and close his eyes. He is stopped, feeling something over his lips. Makoto opens his eyes, finding the blue sea of Haru’s eyes staring at him, and his companion’s fingers on his lips.

“That isn’t how a proper gentleman behaves,” Haru murmurs. Makoto remains silent until he lets out a breathy laugh, shaking his head.

“No, it isn’t,” Makoto replies, taking a step back, his lips still covered by Haru’s fingers. “You are such a proper Lady, Haru.”

Haru’s cheeks get a beautiful shade of red. His eyes widen in that way that Makoto has learnt means Haru is pleased with the compliment.

“Yes,” Haru says, “A proper Lady. For you, Makoto.”

In the blink of an eye, Haru leans his head to the side, closing his eyes, and kisses his own fingers over Makoto’s lips.

The scent of roses covers him.

Of course it isn’t the same as feeling Haru’s lips directly, as tasting the pink tint of color of his lips, but it still makes Makoto’s stomach jump. Closing his eyes, Makoto pretends there aren’t delicate fingers between them.

 

“We have an announcement to make.”

The two women and the man, who are sitting on the couches of the living room, look at them a little confused at the interruption of their conversation.

“What is it, son?” Makoto’s mother is the first one to ask, swapping her gaze between Haru and the brunette.

Makoto looks at Haru for a second, but he is staring down at his hands, removing the pink tint off his fingers with his thumb. He returns his green eyes to the other adults.

“Miss Haruka and I have decided to get engaged.”

At first no one reacts and it honestly surprises Makoto. Suddenly Lady Fuyuko abruptly stands up, a wide beam in her lips and her tiny black eyes tearing up.

“Oh, heavens!” The old Lady yells, excitedly, fanning her face with both hands. “I’m so happy for you, congratulations!”

Makoto’s parents look surprised, and speechless, but soon Makoto’s mother also stands up smiling. “W—Wow!” She says, “This is quite an announcement!”

“Have you decided when, Makoto dear?” Lady Fuyuko asks, putting her hands together.

“In half a year,” he answers.

“Ah, that’s so soon! But I’m glad. The sooner you get married, the sooner we will have grandchildren. Isn’t that right, Mrs. Tachibana?”

At the mention of grandchildren, Mrs. Tachibana looks at Lady Fuyuko, a little bewildered. “Well, of course!”

“And what are your plans for the future, Makoto?” His father asks, standing up. His tone of voice is a little more serious. It doesn’t take Makoto by surprise.

“Miss Haruka and I will move to my College’s city as soon as we get married,” he explains.

“I can help you with that, dear,” the oldest woman says, carefree, “I have to confess, Mr. and Mrs. Tachibana, that Haruka, Makoto and I had already talked about this.”

Mrs. Tachibana puts her hand over her chest, impressed. “About marriage?”

“Of course! I think it was quite obvious what was going on here, am I correct?” She jokingly says, cocking her head in Makoto and Haru’s direction. “Don’t they just look like they are destined to be? Oh, it’s so romantic.”

Makoto’s mother laughs while nodding. Perhaps Lady Fuyuko’s easy-going nature is finally getting to her. “Yes, you are correct, Lady Fuyuko.”

“We have so much to talk about, Haruka dear. But right now we must part,” Lady Fuyuko turns towards Mr. and Mrs. Tachibana, “Thank you so much for having us over. We must repeat this soon!”

Mr. Tachibana takes her hand, smiling, before saying, “Thank you for accepting our invitation, you are always welcome in our house.”

They all say their adieus, taking Lady Fuyuko and Haru to the entrance. Makoto gives Haru a last smile. He corresponds with one of his own. As soon as the door closes, his mother is quick to slap him on the shoulder.

“Heavens, Makoto! Why didn’t you tell us earlier?” The woman isn’t mad or anything like that. She actually looks radiant.

“Son, I know you are excited and everything, but don’t you think it’s a bit rushed?” His father, on the other hand, looks a bit in awe still. “You just met her three months ago.”

“I know, father, but…”

Makoto looks to the floor, trying to order his messy thoughts. How can he explain to his parents that Haru is the light of his life? That he was lost during all those years until Haru came back to find him, that everything he wants to do is to spend the rest of his life with Haru. Because he loves those blue eyes, that black hair, those pink lips, and that gentle soul.

“I love her,” Makoto resumes instead, looking at his parents. “Since the moment I saw her, I knew I wanted to be with her. I know it may look too rushed, or careless, but I’m sure Miss Haruka feels the same for me.”

His parents exchange looks and softly smile. Memories probably floating through their eyes.

“Alright, Makoto,” his father says in the end. “You and Miss Haruka have our support.”

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you [Mixestomix](https://twitter.com/mixestomix) for beta'ing.
> 
> Based on Mixestomix's dream.

“What do you think of these, Haruka dear?”

Blue eyes focus again, having been lost for a while in the depths of the mind. Haru looks at the woman talking, Lady Fuyuko, who has some pieces of fabric in her hands. One fabric is pure white, and the other is pearl white. Haru doesn’t answer. Instead looks at the pieces of fabric and then to the old Lady.

“It’s for your wedding dress, Miss Haruka, so choose wisely.”

Another female voice talks. It’s Makoto’s mother, Mrs. Tachibana, who is smiling at Haru. She has other pieces of cloth in her hands.

“They are all pretty,” Haru responds.

“Well, I personally think this one would look marvelous on you,” Lady Fuyuko suggests, putting the pure white cloth over Haru’s naked shoulder. “It would make your blue eyes really stand out, dear.”

“Miss Haruka’s eyes are really pretty.”

Haru looks at the owner of that voice, meeting with Ran’s bright eyes. The little girl is jumping excitedly on her place.

They all are at the Tachibana household’s back garden, sitting at a white metal table. They are alone as wedding preparation and planning is a work for women. Besides, Makoto and his father are outside the city; having traveled to where Makoto is going to enroll in College to look for the perfect house for the soon-to-be newlyweds. Haru and Lady Fuyuko have been visiting the Tachibana mansion more often in order to plan the wedding. Although Haru must admit it doesn’t matter much. All what Haru wants is to get married to Makoto so they can stay together forever and start a new life.

“Thank you, Ran,” Haru answers to Ran’s compliment, giving her a smile. The little girl beams too, covering her lips timidly.

“You know what, Lady Fuyuko?” Mrs. Tachibana says, looking intently to the pure white cloth over Haru’s shoulder, “I think you are right. Besides, the wedding will be in winter time, right? And the pure white color of the dress would really go with that theme.”

“Ah, you are so smart, Mrs. Tachibana!” The old Lady claps happily. “A wedding with a winter theme, wouldn’t that be wonderful, Haruka?”

“Yes, mother.”

Mrs. Tachibana smiles at Haru. “I’m not trying to be disrespectful, Miss Haruka, but you should relax a little bit more! Are you always this serious?”

Haru’s eyes turn for a second to Lady Fuyuko, who is just looking at Haru back, before answering. “I’m not much of a talker, I’m afraid.”

“As I said before, my Haruka is a bit shy,” Lady Fuyuko gives as a reason, putting a hand over Haru’s.

“Miss Haruka tells Ren and I really good stories,” Ran tries to defend Haru, facing her mother, “She is really creative.”

“Ah, I see,” Makoto’s mother expresses, “Then it must be that Makoto isn’t here to calm you down, Miss Haruka.”

The woman smirks teasingly while Ran complains, embarrassed. Lady Fuyuko laughs as she amicably pats Mrs. Tachibana’s hand. She sighs in the end.

“To be young and in love again,” she says with a nostalgic undertone in her voice. “I’m so happy my precious Haruka met with Makoto. He is such a nice gentleman. You did a wonderful job raising him.”

“Thank you, Lady Fuyuko. My husband and I tried our best. And, I must say, Miss Haruka is quite the lady.”

Haru can’t help it when a smile escapes, honestly glad Makoto’s mother thinks like that. All the hard work is finally paying up. In just a few months the wedding will happen. Haru’s dream of being together with Makoto will finally come true.

“Thank you so much, Mrs. Tachibana. But I must confess it wasn’t that easy. You see, Haruka was a bit of a rebel at first.”

The heart inside of Haru’s chest starts to beat rapidly, feeling the corset suddenly too tight and too hot around the ribcage. But Haru always behaves so there aren’t any visible signs of discomfort.

“Is that so? I wouldn’t have guessed,” Mrs. Tachibana says, “Well, I’m glad you two put your differences away and worked together in the end.”

Shaking her head quickly, Lady Fuyuko bats her hand a little, giving it no importance. “That’s simply how young people are at some point or another. I’m sure my mother, who shall rest in peace, could tell you a few stories about me, Mrs. Tachibana.”

Both women laugh at the joke. Taking the white cloth off, Haru puts it on the table, discovering Ran’s intense stare.

“Miss Haruka,” Ran calls. Her voice serious. Haru realizes the little girl is trying to sound like an adult.

“Yes, Ran?”

“Do you love my big brother?”

Mrs. Tachibana gasps, covering her mouth. She looks embarrassed. "Ran! Don’t ask such personal things!”

“It’s alright, Mrs. Tachibana,” Lady Fuyuko intervenes, “Children are curious about that, aren’t they?”

“Yes, Ran,” Haru answers shortly, making everyone look at the blue eyes, “I love Makoto very much.

Such honest answer makes Ran blush intensely. Her eyes go wide. “As much as I love him?” The little girl asks.

“As much.”

“As much as my mother loves him?”

“As much.”

Ran looks very impressed at the amount of love. She sits back in her chair with a whistle. “That’s a lot of love,” she says.

Haru simply smiles a little.

“It indeed is.”

 

 

 

The room smells of polished wood with a tint of dusty books. The warm hue of the light and furniture is pleasant to the eye. It gives a gentle, fuzzy feeling inside of people’s chests. The temperature is a little hot, but refreshing wind enters through the open window to give the body a rest and a breath.

“And this will be our bedroom, Miss Haruka.”

That perfect voice wakes Haru up, opening the blue eyes to look at the blueprints extended over Mr. Tachibana’s desk. Makoto’s finger is touching a part of the paper, showing a big room in the drawing. Next to Makoto are standing Mr. Tachibana and Lady Fuyuko. They are also looking at the draft carefully.

“It’s a really spacious room, Miss Haruka,” Makoto’s father adds. “A lot of furniture can fit in there and still have free space.”

“So… what do you think, Miss Haruka?” Makoto asks, biting his lips excitedly. Haru has to look away to not get distracted by the sight, focusing on the blueprint again.

“It’s wonderful,” Haru answers. “I can barely wait.”

Makoto blushes at the confession, fretting nervously in his place. Both Mr. Tachibana and Lady Fuyuko laugh.

“Ah, you got an honest one!” The oldest man says. He forcefully pats Makoto’s shoulder. “I’m glad, I’m glad. Honesty and a good communication are essential for a good marriage.”

Haru’s body tenses, but the smile on the lips never fades. Honesty and a good communication.

It’s alright. Haru knows they – Haru and Makoto – are going to be happy.

“You are so right about that, Mr. Tachibana,” Lady Fuyuko agrees with a smile, “Mainly good communication, so they both can talk about what bothers them and decide on a solution.”

“Exactly, Lady Fuyuko!”

“This house is really great, Miss Haruka,” Makoto calls Haru’s attention, “There’s a park close by, so if you ever find yourself bored while I’m busy with my studies you can take a walk there. It’s a really good and nice neighborhood. I’m sure you will like it.”

“I trust your word, Makoto.”

By the corner of the eye, Haru sees Lady Fuyuko looking at them. She is smiling and content.

 

 

 

The sky is of a light gray color, making contrast with the hot orange, red and yellow of the leaves dancing in the trees. They make their own music with the wind caressing them and the branches. Somewhat cold kisses of the air are sent directly to the uncovered skin, turning it red with a soft blush of blood.

Giggles, laughs and screams are heard in the distance, along with the crunch sound of the innocently fallen leaves under the feet of people.

“Haru.”

Haru breathes again, profoundly, at the mention of that name. Looking down to the floor, Haru meets with Makoto’s green eyes.

Makoto is lying down on a blanket Haru brought for their picnic, resting his weight on one of his elbows. He is looking at Haru with such adoration and love that makes Haru’s heart bump around like a confused animal inside a cage made of ribs.

“What is it, Makoto?” Haru corresponds to the call. Makoto shakes his head.

“Nothing, I just love saying your name, Haru.”

Haru smiles at him, pleased with the simple and yet so honest answer. Makoto’s gentle nature, his pure soul, and his compassionate heart hasn’t changed. Haru has learnt in this time they have been together. The same can’t be said about Makoto’s body. Haru was quite impressed the first time the blue eyes set in the green ones back at the ball all those months ago.

Makoto is taller and stronger. The man could easily pick up Haru if he wanted to. Such a fine gentleman, Makoto is, after years of correct raising and given love by his family. Makoto’s light shines brightly now more than ever. It’s all thanks to him accepting the Tachibana family’s invitation to go with them.

Now Haru’s eternal love can live happily ever after, and the sole idea makes Haru tremble in excitement because that life also includes Haru.

Haru can barely wait for the wedding. Just a few months from now and everything will be sealed. Makoto and Haru will be together and no one can’t do anything about it. Not destiny, not life, not even La—

“Miss Haruka!” Two young voices yell yet again.

It’s Ren and Ran who call. They are running towards them hastily. It seems Ran is holding something precious in her hands because she is being very delicate. Ren is closely following his twin sister. Once they are before Haru, they stop. Their breaths are uneven.

“Is something wrong?” Makoto asks, sitting up immediately with a worried expression.

Makoto suggested a few days ago that they — he and Haru — should take the children to a picnic in order for them to know Haru more closely. Makoto’s fiancee gladly accepted the idea. Ren and Ran jumped in glee when they heard the news.

“No, nothing is wrong!” Ran assures, “But Ren and I made a gift for Miss Haruka.”

Ren and Ran’s cheeks are red, giving them an air of innocence and purity. Though Haru has learnt quickly that these children are very capable of manipulating – mainly their easily-tricked big brother in exchange of furtive cookies before dinner.

“Look, look!” Ren says. He is jumping excitedly.

Ran extends her arms so Haru can see what the little girl is carrying. Before Haru lies a flower crown composed of little yellow flowers that Haru recognizes as dandelions, some of them are already white fluff.

“It’s really pretty. Thank you, Ren and Ran,” Haru honestly thanks, bowing the head a little to be crowned.

The little girl gently puts the flower crown on Haru’s head. She claps her hands in the end.

“Ah, you look so beautiful, Miss Haruka!” Ran compliments. Ren just nods, but the red color of his cheeks doesnt disappear.

“It’s all thanks to the crown, Ran,” Haru answers. Makoto shakes his head.

“I’m sure it’s more than the crown, Miss Haruka,” the future husband says.

Haru smiles, looking down at the blanket on the floor and feeling the soft red color invading the cheeks.

“Ugh, big brother! So embarrassing!” Ren complains, covering his face with both hands.

“That was so embarrassing. I feel embarrassed!” Ran also covers her face. Seeing how embarrassed the children are, Makoto himself starts to turn red on his cheeks. His whole body fretts.

“S—Silence! Miss Haruka is my fianceé! It’s normal for me to compliment her, isn’t it?!” Makoto tries to explain, but the children just make more gagging noises at him; feigning an incurable disease as they throw themselves to the floor.

Leaves cover the children when they begin to move their arms around, pushing and throwing around the dry foliage. In the end, Makoto gives up and decides to coat his siblings with the red and yellow vegetation, all under Haru’s amused eyes.

Yes. Everything will be alright.  

 

 

 

Perfect.

Perfect. Perfect. Perfect.

Everything must be perfect. Everything must be divine. Everything must be spotless.

The blue reflects in the mirror, looking at Haru intently with that neutral stare Haru has practiced over the years.

Haru’s bedroom is the same as always. The same furniture. The same patterns of fabric. The same curtains. The same air. It’s as if the room has been frozen in time. Where no matter who enters time will not advance simply because time does as it pleases. Time doesn't care about obeying rules or orders from simple humans such as Haru.

In front of Haru lies the big mirror that reflects everything in the room; including Haru’s blue eyes, black hair, and clean face. Haru looks down to the vanity table where the makeup is. It's patiently waiting to be used by the delicate hands of Haru.

The first tool used is the cream, covering Haru’s face and invading the room with a faint scent of roses that makes Haru think of the past for a mere moment.

Memories of the orphanage, of rose gardens, of green plains and warm sunlight. But mainly memories of green eyes and wide smiles.

Makoto.

So innocent, so youthful, and willing to live.

Haru is happy to see that Makoto hasn’t changed at all with time. Most of all, Haru is happy to see that Makoto’s love never faltered.

_“I love you, Haru-chan.”_

The powder sponge trembles a little, as the hand holding it is shaking, making the white dust gently fall over the boudoir. Haru lets out a puff of air, annoyed at the mess, but decides to ignore it to put on the makeup.

Love. Love. Love.

Everything Haru has done is because of love. To feel Makoto’s love. To give Makoto Haru’s love. To be together.

Together. Together. Together.

Haru grabs the lipstick, a pink tint that Haru has learnt Makoto fancies a bit more than the rest of the collection. Haru starts to gently apply the color looking directly at the reflection in the mirror.

“Haruka!”

The door opens suddenly. Haru jolts. An ungraceful stroke of pink travels on Haru’s chin, ruining the meticulously prepared makeup Haru worked on so hard. Blue eyes look to the door through the mirror to find Lady Fuyuko smiling.

“Ah, I see you are getting ready. Good!” The old woman says, but then her eyebrows frown. “Oh, dear, you better fix that up, darling.”

Lady Fuyuko walks to Haru, taking out a napkin from her sleeve, and cleans the pink off Haru’s chin with a little extra force.

“Makoto is here already, and you aren’t done with this, Haruka.” Lady Fuyuko clicks her tongue, disapproving. “And I told him you were already waiting for him. What a mess.”

Haru’s heart jumps. Makoto is here. Haru isn’t ready. And yet Makoto is here.

Haru’s breathing starts to quicken. The blue eyes stare directly to Lady Fuyuko’s black ones.

“He is here,” Haru says.

“That’s right,” Haru’s mother replies.

“But I’m not ready.”

“No, Haruka dear. You aren’t.”

Lady Fuyuko takes the pink lipstick, coloring the color on Haru’s lips while holding Haru’s chin.

“You should have started to get ready earlier, Haruka. So you wouldn’t make Makoto wait.”

“Yes, mother.”

“Now you are making him wait, Haruka. How embarrassing. After all these years and you still make these ridiculous mistakes.”

“Yes, mother. It is. I’m sorry.”

“You should apologize to Makoto. Not to me, Haruka. But don’t worry. I’m sure Makoto will forgive you, dear. And you know why?”

Lady Fuyuko leaves the lipstick on the vanity table, looking at Haru waiting for an answer. Haru doesn’t offer one.

“Because,” the old woman continues, seeing Haru won’t talk, “Makoto is such a nice gentleman.”

Yes. He is. A gentleman. Such a nice gentleman that always treats Haru so well. Makoto always smiles for Haru. Always takes Haru’s hand. Always looks at Haru with such love and adoration.

“But,”

Those tiny black eyes are looking at Haru with such force it freezes the room's air. So cold, so detached, so distant.

“A nice gentleman like him deserves a proper lady, Haruka. Don’t you think?”

Yes. Makoto deserves that. A proper lady. Makoto deserves a proper lady to be with him. Haru can be that proper lady. Harder. Haru has to try harder.

Perfect. Perfect. Perfect.

Haru has to be the perfect lady. Haru has to. Haru is going to be.

“Yes,” Haru whispers, feeling the air escaping from the body.

Smiling, Lady Fuyuko cups Haru’s face. “I know you can do it, my dear Haruka.”

They both exit Haru’s room, and in no time they are going downstairs to the lobby. A tall man of brown hair stands and smiles when his green eyes center on Haru.

“Good evening, Miss Haruka,” Makoto greets. His voice is soft and warm. It fills Haru’s chest with deep emotions.

“Sorry for making you wait,” Haru says immediately. Makoto’s eyes widen a little, surprised.

“It’s alright. I didn’t wait that long, Miss Haruka,” the man assures, laughing lightheartedly while shaking his head.

What a perfect gentleman. So forgiving. So gentle. So full of love for Haru.

Haru promises to work harder for Makoto.

“So, what are today’s plans, Makoto?” Lady Fuyuko asks with a warm and wide smile.

“I was thinking of taking Miss Haruka to a tea house my mother recently discovered. She says the tea there is delicious, and I’m sure Miss Haruka would enjoy it,” Makoto answers as one of his big hands finds a place in the middle of Haru’s back.

“Ah, I see! Sounds wonderful. I know this goes without saying but, would you bring Haruka back before the sunset? The wedding is getting closer and closer and we don’t want her to fall ill on such an important day! Do we?”

Makoto shakes his head once again, a soft smile adorns his lips. “I would never allow that, Lady Fuyuko.”

“I trust you will treat my dear Haruka the way she deserves?”

“Of course, Lady Fuyuko.”

The butler opens the door for them and, after saying their farewells to Lady Fuyuko, Makoto and Haru step inside the carriage.

The world is slowly turning gray. The colors of the autumn disappearing from the eye as the winter begins to lazily surface. It covers the land with a nostalgic veil. The cool wind caresses the unprotected skin, bringing goosebumps to the unprepared. Thankfully, Haru has had the precaution of bringing a jacket.

“Hey, Haru,” Makoto calls. Haru looks at him, being welcomed by the green plains in the brunette’s eyes. “How are the wedding preparations going?”

“Good,” Haru answers. Makoto takes Haru’s hand, interlacing their fingers. Haru feels warm inside. “The dress is already done. I have it in my room.”

“That’s great, Haru!” Makoto’s smile widens, closing his eyes happily. “I’m so excited about it! The house is furnished and ready to welcome us to start a new life.”

Haru smiles softly at the prospect of that. It's easy to imagine. A life with Makoto where they will be happy and together eternally. Makoto will be attending College and realizing his dream, and Haru will be there for him as his partner for life.

“We are going to be happy,” Haru dares to say, looking away from Makoto when feeling warm red rushing to the cheeks.

Haru feels Makoto’s hand tightening its grip, making Haru look at him again. A red dust covers Makoto’s cheek. His lips are forming a gentle smile that Haru has memorized fervently.

“I’m already happy, Haru,” Makoto says. His eyes shimmer like the night sky. It feels like Haru is the sun of his universe. “Can I kiss you, Haru?”

Haru blinks twice, staring at Makoto after the bold question, and then laughs softly, shaking the head. “How many times will I tell you, Makoto?”

“That isn’t how a gentleman behaves, I know,” Makoto joins in the laughter. “I should be patient, in just a few weeks we will be married and it will be alright. I will be allowed to kiss you, we will sleep together again, and wake up together again...”

Makoto’s eyes travel up to the carriage’s roof. He is getting lost in a sea of memories Haru assumes.

“Sorry,” He says suddenly, beaming a smile. “Got lost in time for a moment. I remembered when I used to sneak into your bed when we were children. You never complained, even if the bed wasn’t exactly a big one.”

Makoto laughs, making Haru’s heart flutter in happiness with the song coming from the Makoto’s chest.

“I want to share a bed too,” Haru comments. Makoto’s laugh stops, coughing his lungs out. The red in Makoto’s face intensifies.

“Haru, don’t say those things so suddenly!” Makoto’s voice is a little high-pitched. He sounds completely embarrassed.

“It was you who started it…” Haru murmurs.

Soon, the road starts to show tall buildings as they enter the city. Gray buildings at the streets’ sides with the occasional tree. Haru looks outside through the window. Haru doesn’t go out to the city that much to begin with. There isn’t any good reason for it. But Makoto wanted to come here, and Haru will accept whatever Makoto offers.

“A cup of hot tea will be wonderful in this cold, right, Haru?” Makoto tries to keep the conversation going.

“You forgot to mention the pastries, Makoto,” Haru decides to tease him a little. Makoto simply groans.

They arrive at the teahouse, being welcomed by the staff who immediately leads them to a table close to the burning fireplace. It’s a nice establishment, decorated with elegant furniture and regal paintings hanging from the walls. A trio of violins is playing melodious music, therefore the place has a relaxing atmosphere. Makoto orders for the both of them, asking for some sweet pastries and cookies. The tea is delicious when it’s served in Haru’s teacup. It has a sweet flavor, but not too much that it overwhelms Haru’s less sugar-tolerant tongue. The cookies, though, are ridiculously sweet for Haru. Something that evidently doesn’t bother Makoto at all as he keeps eating them as if it’s nothing while talking of their future home.

“We will have a fireplace in the bedroom, which is good because I have heard that city gets cold in the winter. There is a river close by, that’s why.”

“I’m sure it will be fine,” Haru adds, taking a sip of tea.

“Yes, of course! I will be careful to tell the staff to always have it going.” Makoto leaves his teacup on the table to take Haru’s hand in his. “I wouldn’t let my beautiful wife suffer from the cold. What kind of husband would I be?”

Makoto takes Haru’s hand close to his lips and kisses it. Haru doesn’t feel it because of the glove. It still burns inside.

“We should take a walk after this,” Makoto suggests, not letting go of Haru’s hand, massaging the knuckles with a thumb. Haru simply nods, feeling too hypnotized by Makoto’s green eyes and hands.

After finishing their tea and cookies, they walk outside the teahouse, taking the long way to a nearby park. Makoto tells the carriage’s driver to wait for them there for later. Haru takes Makoto’s arm, the man gives Haru a smile, before starting to lazily walk through the park.

The park has tall trees and soft grass, thanks to this, the wind is fresh and it relaxes Haru to breathe the cool air. Various couples with children are also taking a walk, slightly bowing their heads at Makoto and Haru when they pass before them in a cordial greeting. It’s been a while since last time Haru has felt like this. Like the air is finally entering Haru’s lungs after being asleep for a long time. Haru looks to the side to where Makoto is. The man is smiling. He looks just as relaxed as Haru feels.

An intense desire to kiss Makoto fills Haru, looking away to not fall victim of the temptation.

Patience. What Haru needs is patience.

Just a few more weeks.

Haru’s thoughts are interrupted when a drop of water falls on Haru’s nose. Looking to the sky, Haru sees the thick, gray clouds above them.

“We should get going,” Makoto suggests, his green eyes are also up to the sky. “It’s going to rain.”

Makoto didn’t finish his words when the rain starts to fall heavily. All the people start running to take shelter somewhere or to their carriages. Makoto walks faster, but Haru stops him by the arm.

“Haru, we have to go,” Makoto insists. Haru doesn’t listen.

With closed eyes, Haru lets the rain fall over.

 

 

 

It’s cold.

It’s cold and Haru’s whole body can’t stop trembling. It’s a winter night, one of the coldest Haru has lived through. This time the thick cover no longer works to calm down the freezing feeling crawling under the skin like spiders. White breathe comes outside from Haru’s lips, like a visible mark of life escaping.

In the darkness of the night, Haru’s eyes open to see red shining on the fingers. The body's weak attempt to keep those hands warm.

It’s so cold.

The barn is empty now. The chicks and hens were taken away long ago. The only companion Haru has is solitude. Haru’s own breath. The silence invades Haru’s ears like being submerged in water.

It’s so, so cold.

Haru feels so weak. Haru doesn’t have any strength to keep going even if there isn’t anything else that Haru wants to fulfill.

Dirty black hair is now long. White skin that has taken a blue hue because of the cold. Haru can’t feel anything.

Haru can’t die here. This isn’t the first winter Haru has to live in the barn. Haru can survive it.

The door opens.

The loud slam startles Haru, chasing away the freezing numbness. Helping Haru’s soul to return to this mortal body.

“Take her,” a distant female voice orders.

Haru is carried by someone.

“She is perfect.”

 

 

 

“Haru!”

Haru opens the blue eyes, feeling the raindrops heavy on the eyelashes. Haru looks at Makoto, who looks kind of angry but amused too, trying to suppress a sneaky smile but failing.

“We have to go. Lady Fuyuko will kill me if you get sick,” Makoto says.

This time Haru nods, following Makoto to the carriage that arrived for them at some point.

“You haven’t changed at all, Haru,” He whispers lovingly once they are inside the carriage, caressing Haru’s backhand with his thumb. “Are you cold? I think there is a blanket in the bunk…”

Thankfully they find the thick blanket. It's big enough to cover them both during the travel. Makoto takes Haru’s hand, warming it in his own.

“I love you, Haru,” Makoto whispers.

Haru is trembling. Haru is cold. And yet, Haru is happy.

“I love you, Makoto,” Haru whispers back.

 

 

 

“Heavens!”

Lady Fuyuko, to say the least, isn’t happy about the conditions Makoto and Haru came back in. The old woman runs towards Haru, taking the youngster by the shoulders. Haru is still wearing the blanket as a cape, covering the dress completely.

“Sorry, Lady Fuyuko,” Makoto says apologetically. He is smiling sheepishly. “But the rain really surprised us.”

But Lady Fuyuko pays no mind to what Makoto is saying. “Maid!” She calls, and promptly a young girl is with them, “Prepare the bath for Haruka, quickly! We can’t bid her to fall ill!”

The maid bows and runs away quickly, going upstairs to Haru’s private bathroom. Haru looks at Makoto, and then to Lady Fuyuko.

“Mother,” Haru says, a little softer than usual.

The old Lady regains her senses when she hears Haru’s calling. “Yes, Haruka? Oh, dear, you are soaking wet!”

“Makoto.”

Haru’s mother frowns, maybe confused, but she turns to face Makoto. “Oh, Makoto, dear. I’m sorry for ignoring you but I got so worried!”

“Don’t worry, Lady Fuyuko. I understand,” Makoto answers honestly.

“Let me ask a maid to prepare another bathroom for you, and the guestroom! You can stay the night if you want.”

“The bath I can accept, but I don’t think—“

Behind Lady Fuyuko, Haru starts to quickly nod. It's enough to attract Makoto’s attention and making his voice trail a little.

“On second thought,” Makoto corrects himself with a smile, “I will gladly accept your invitation. It is late at night, after all.”

This brings Lady Fuyuko to smile excitedly, she even claps a little, at the acceptance of her invitation. “Wonderful!” She says, “Don’t worry about the carriage. I'll tell the staff to take care of it.”

“Thank you, Lady Fuyuko.”

After that, Lady Fuyuko takes Haru to the bathroom, holding Haru’s arm with a strong grip.

“You should be more careful, Haruka,” the old woman says, “If you fall ill, you won’t be able to marry Makoto now. You would have to wait longer. Do you want that?”

Haru doesn’t answer, but shakes the head silently.

By the time Lady Fuyuko and Haru enter the bathroom, the place is already warm and smells of roses. Lady Fuyuko promptly helps Haru to undress.

“I will go tell the maids about Makoto now,” Haru’s mother announces, “Go to sleep immediately after your bath. You will need lots of rest to not get sick.”

Once again, Haru doesn’t answer and simply nods.

Lady Fuyuko smiles warmly at Haru before exiting the bathroom. Stepping inside the bath, Haru is covered by the warm water.

The scent of roses embraces Haru completely.

 

 

 

It’s hot and calm.

It’s hot, calm, and it smells of roses.

Blue eyes open slowly, heavily, as if they don’t want to wake up to a cruel and cold world. But this isn’t a cold world.

Haru feels hot.

An unknown roof is above Haru. It's orange with golden and curved embellishments. Haru doesn’t recognize this room, but for the moment that is the last thing in the list of things that matter. Haru’s head moves a little to the side. A pair of black eyes and a warm smile welcome Haru.

“Haruka,” a female voice says, “My dear Haruka, you are finally awake.”

A wrinkly hand travels to Haru’s black hair, caressing the threads lovingly. Haru’s breath is slow. Haru isn’t even sure there is actual breathing.

“Haruka, you are so perfect. You did it. You passed the first phase of your training.”

Haru finally recognizes this woman. It’s Lady Fuyuko. Haru’s new mother.

“After all these years, you finally did it, Haruka. I’m so proud of you. We are almost there. Just a little more and you will see Makoto. Aren’t you excited?”

That name makes Haru’s heart jump. Makes it come back to life.

“Makoto…” Haru whispers.

Lady Fuyuko smiles wider.

“Yes, Haruka! Makoto! We will work hard for him, right? Just remember, as long as you do as I tell you, you will see him.”

The hand over Haru’s head continues to caress the hair, softly, gently. The old lady sighs contently.

“Are we clear, Haruka?” She asks. Her voice is almost a soothing song.

It gets hard to breath.

“Yes, mother.”

 

 

 

A knocking heard from the door makes Haru’s blue eyes open, where they see the orange roof with golden and curved embellishments. The knocking echoes within in the walls rumbling all the way to the depths of Haru’s heart.

“Haruka?”

A female voice calls for Haru as the door opens. Lady Fuyuko enters. She is already in her sleeping attire and her gray hair free to fall over her shoulders.

“Are you still in the bath, dear?” She sounds a little tired, resigned, “The water must be cold by now…”

The old lady walks to the bath to immerse her hand in the water. She clicks her tongue disapprovingly when she sees it indeed is cold.

“Haruka, get out of there. You will get sick if you keep it like that.”

“I’m sorry, mother.”

Lady Fuyuko sighs, looking directly to Haru’s blue eyes.

“You haven’t changed at all, Haruka.”

When Haru gets outside of the bath, Lady Fuyuko helps Haru get ready to sleep. Haru wears a white sleeping gown, made of light cotton fabric; it’s like a dress, with long sleeves, and buttons up to the neck.  Haru cleans off the makeup. Lady Fuyuko combs the long black hair, while humming a gentle song.

“Makoto is already accommodated in one of the guest rooms, dear,” the woman informs, “I lent him some of my late husband’s clothes. May he rest in peace,” she adds quickly. “Though I hope the clothes are big enough.”

She gently laughs, finding it funny.

“You will have to wake up earlier than usual, Haruka, so you can prepare yourself and look perfect for when Makoto wakes up.”

Between breathes, Lady Fuyuko is softly counting the times she brushes Haru’s hair, being careful of the knots and tangles to not hurt Haru or the hair.

50.

51.

52.

“You hair is so beautiful, Haruka, it has always been. It’s amazing,” the woman comments.

65.

66.

67.

“I remember when you were in the orphanage. Your blue eyes were so striking, but your hair also attracted my attention.”

86.

87.

88.

“You were so pretty as a child, and you are a beautiful lady now. I’m so happy I chose you in the end.”

97.

98.

99.

“100,” Haru whispers.

“Ah, you were counting too? That’s good, dear.”

Lady Fuyuko leaves the comb on the vanity table after giving Haru’s hair a last brush for good measure. It’s not often that the old woman accompanies Haru to prepare for the night. Maybe tonight is different because of the condition they arrived in. Or perhaps it’s the idea of Haru getting married.

Haru can barely wait.

“Alright,” Lady Fuyuko puts her hands over Haru’s shoulders, massaging a little, “Time to sleep, dear. Don’t forget to wake up early.”

The woman kisses Haru on the top of the head before turning around to exit the room. Haru stands up and turns off the oil lamp before lying down under the bed's covers. With a last sigh, Haru decides to go to sleep.

 

 

 

It’s hard to breathe and it hurts. It hurts so much. It hurts Haru’s body so much.

“Tighter,” a female voice says. Her tone is serious and demanding.

For a single second, Haru feels the maid’s hesitation to obey, but it’s soon replaced by the anguish feeling of the air being pushed out from Haru’s lungs. A painful groan escapes from Haru’s mouth as the corset is tightened. The laces tense as the maid pulls harder.

“Don’t complain, Haruka. A proper lady is able to deal with this.”

Blue eyes travel to the side, meeting with the old woman who is looking at Haru from her place. She is standing next to the maid.

Haru feels the corset constricting the breathing, feels cold sweat slithering down the skin, feels both hands gripping the bed’s pole with force while the maid tightens the corset without any kind of mercy.

“You are not doing it correctly, maid,” Lady Fuyuko says, anger evident in her tone of voice. She pushes off the young girl to take the laces herself, pulling them in a second.

“It hurts!” Haru yells with a last breath. Hot tears threaten to fall down.

“Haruka! Don’t complain! You accepted this, don’t you remember?”

Haru starts coughing as the old woman continues to stiffen the corset tighter, feeling the pressure squeezing the insides of Haru’s body.

“You yourself said you wanted this, Haruka,” Lady Fuyuko reminds Haru, “I can’t believe you are actually backing up in your word. What a disgrace! If you can’t even handle this, do you think you have any opportunity of being worthy of Makoto?”

“I—It hurts,” Haru is barely able to say. Blue eyes close slowly.

“Don’t be a failure, Haruka. Otherwise you will leave me no choice but to return you to the orphanage.”

Haru’s head weakly shakes in refusal. “Please… don’t…”

“How could I not, Haruka? Do you really think Makoto deserves such a lousy lady like you?” She says, pulling the laces harder. Haru groans in pain.

“I—I promise… I promise to be better…”

Hot tears roll down Haru’s red cheeks to fall on the floor. 

“At this point, Haruka, you aren't worthy of being Makoto’s wife. And do you know why, Haruka?”

Haru doesn't answer as the last gust of air abandons Haru’s body. Legs tremble and arms are tired.

“Because you aren’t a proper lady, Haruka.”

Haru sobs. Anguish and despair invades the depths inside Haru's heart.

“Tell me, Haruka…” Lady Fuyuko’s voice is slow and distant. A whisper in the middle of the darkness inside of Haru’s mind. A cold touch in the soul. “How should a proper lady behave?”

Haru tries to breathe deeply one more time, but it’s useless when the corset cuts short the air. Still, with a quivering and barely there voice, Haru answers.

“O—Obedient…”

Lady Fuyuko tightens the corset. Haru swears a rib just broke.

“Quiet…” Haru’s voice is a whimper.

The old woman slowly knots the laces of the corset.

“Good…” Haru mouths, without forces to use a voice anymore.

“And you, Haruka, aren’t that.”

The world turns black.

 

 

 

The room is dark when Haru’s eyes open wide. Breath broken and hasty in the middle of the silence. And a sudden burst of need explodes inside of Haru.

Without a second thought, Haru gets up — silently but urgently — walking outside the room like a shadow merged in the obscurity of the endless corridors of the mansion. Haru walks and walks, wishing to transform into a ghost to be able to float away faster and against time. But alas, Haru is a mere human with a palpitating heart full of fear.

Softly, quietly, Haru reaches the room that is so desperately searching for.

Opening the door with utmost care, Haru enters Makoto’s room.

In there, peacefully sleeping in the huge regal bed, lies Haru’s reason to breathe and live.

With gentle steps, Haru walks towards the bed, searching for the green eyes Haru desires to see.

Makoto is sleeping peacefully. His dark brown eyelashes flutter between dreams. His face is relaxed under the moonlight hitting his skin, making him glow in an ethereal way.

“Makoto…” Haru whispers, not resisting the temptation to caress Makoto’s cheek. As soon as Haru touches him, the green eyes lazily open.

“Haru?...” Makoto softly asks, his voice husky in sleep.

“Shhh…”

Haru pulls the covers, lying down under them next to Makoto, who receives Haru without question. They look at each other in silence for a moment. Haru sees how Makoto’s eyes are dark.

“Haru…” Makoto whispers, “Can I touch you?”

Haru’s breath fails, getting stuck in the throat thanks to the knot in there. Haru nods slowly. The blue eyes never look away from the green plains of Makoto’s eyes. Haru's fiancé gently holds Haru’s hand in his own, interlacing their fingers in a warm embrace. Soon, Makoto’s other hand travels up Haru’s waist like it did when they were in the children's playroom. The difference now is that Haru’s body is covered only by the thin white fabric of the nightgown.

“It feels different,” Makoto comments, “Without the corset.”

Makoto’s squeezes the muscle a little before going up the through the waist. Haru sees Makoto’s eyes following his hand, entranced by the gentle touch. Closing the blue eyes, Haru lets out a deep breath.

Everything Haru has done is for them. All the training. All those years living here. All of it was so they could be together for the rest of their lives. It wasn't easy. But as Haru feels Makoto's hand, Haru decides it was worthy.

All the pain. All the struggle. All the nightmares.

“Haru?”

Haru opens the eyes again, being welcomed by Makoto’s soft smile. The bigger hand leaves Haru’s waist to rest on the cheek. Makoto's thumb gently caresses Haru’s thin lips.

“I want to kiss you,” Makoto confesses, but doesn't do anything else.

The idea of feeling Makoto's lips again in a kiss makes Haru tremble. Makoto's hand covers Haru’s mouth with his fingers, closing his eyes and tilting his head, joining his lips with his own knuckles. Haru’s eyes close immediately, the breath hitching inside of Haru’s chest, leaving the blue-eyed lover breathless.

Evidently hesitant, Makoto breaks the almost-kiss. He opens his eyes and bites his lips when kissing Haru like this isn’t enough. It isn’t for Haru either. Nonetheless, Makoto smiles at Haru. The green eyes are bright with the moonlight and full of love. Haru hopes Makoto is seeing the same in the blue pools of Haru’s.

“Can I hug you, Haru?”

Haru nods without any doubt, being embraced in a tight hug that warms Haru’s body completely as Makoto gets closer, feeling his breath over the dark hair. The touch makes any trace of cold and loneliness disappear like dust blown by the wind of a sunny day. Haru feels safe. Loved. Like nothing could hurt Haru because Makoto will protect what they have, what they represent and treasure. Feeling Makoto’s strong arms, his strength and gentleness, makes Haru’s heart flutter in joy, as if it was made of white feathers. It feels so overwhelming that Haru might as well forget about the world and just focus in this little universe Makoto created for them.

“I love you so much, Haru,” Makoto whispers while caressing Haru’s long black hair.

“I love you, too, Makoto,” Haru murmurs back.

They both drift to sleep, taken away by the heaviness of the fatigue after the day they had.

Haru dreams of green plains, soft giggles, tall trees, and butterflies.

It’s the best night of sleep Haru has had since a long time ago.

 

 

 

The sky is still dark in night through the window when Haru wakes up. The sunlight barely starts to revive after having been dead for hours. Haru is still embraced under Makoto’s arm, meaning neither of them moved at all during their sleep. Haru decides to simply enjoy the feeling for the time being. Being so close to Makoto’s scent, Makoto’s warmth, and Makoto’s whole existence, makes Haru sigh happily, closing the blue eyes to be able to immerse deeper in the blissful sensation of what Haru is sure can be called “love”. Mustering some courage, Haru takes one of Makoto’s big hands, touching each digit delicately before kissing his knuckles, where Makoto’s lips had been just a few hours ago. Haru makes the mistake of looking at Makoto’s face, inevitably seeing his tantalizing lips that are slightly parted. Temptation creeps inside of Haru’s heart like a thick mist, blinding Haru’s mind from any rational thought.

Before doing something that might bring regret later, Haru slowly stands up, feeling the body cold as soon as the first toe touches the floor. Makoto must have felt the change too because his eyes slowly open. He looks confused for a second before the greens center their attention on the blues of Haru’s.

“Haru?...” Makoto asks. His voice is drowsy again.

“Shhhh…” Haru hushes again, smiling.

“Haru, don’t go… stay with me."

His eyebrows crease sadly. Makoto takes one of Haru’s hands weakly.

“It’s alright, Makoto,” Haru whispers, “Just a few more days, Makoto, and we will be together. Be strong. For us.”

Makoto bites his lips as he usually does when he is thinking something deeply, perhaps pondering if he should plead a little more. Haru is happy to see Makoto lets go. Both Makoto and Haru know the latter wouldn’t be able to say no to those eyes.

“A few more days,” Makoto repeats like an oath, and it falls securely inside of Haru’s heart.

Makoto gives his fianceé a last smile that Haru gives back before turning away and going to the door, where Haru looks back to Makoto to find him still gazing at Haru, his green eyes shimmering and making Haru tremble in yearning.

Haru goes back to the bedroom just before the maid enters to tell Haru Lady Fuyuko sent her to wake Haru up to get ready.

 

 

 

The dress is so heavy and hot. It feels like it’s breaking through the ribcage, impeding the air to pass freely. The dress is so heavy, hot, and big. It’s almost impossible to move with how heavy and big it is. Standing straight is such a chore that tires the legs. Even sitting down is tiring.

And yet, Haru is the happiest person ever alive on Earth.

Today is the day.

Today is the day where Haru and Makoto will join their lives eternally. Where they will say their oaths of eternal love in front of everyone and the heavens. Where they will begin a new life. Where they will stay together till the end of their time.

The veil flowing from the silver crown rests on the red velvet cushion on the vanity table. Haru is looking straight into the mirror, to the blue eyes, sitting perfectly straight while wrinkly hands work with Haru’s long and black hair into a complicated bun, adorned with white roses and pearls. Haru’s makeup is already done, with Lady Fuyuko having hired someone precisely to do so.

“You are so beautiful, Haruka,” Lady Fuyuko sings, passing the hairbrush through the black threads.

Haru and Lady Fuyuko are in the Tachibana’s house’s guestroom, this is beacause the household being closer to the city than the Fuyuko’s home. Right now they are alone, but just a few minutes ago they were surrounded by a crew of maids – Lady Fuyuko’s – helping Haru to dress the heavy wedding dress.

The dress, as previously said, is big and heavy. It’s pure white as Lady Fuyuko suggested all those months ago because it looks the best against Haru’s skin. The gown is frilly, with lots of details on lace, and gems strategically encrusted to make it shine elegantly.

Lady Fuyuko sighs, a smile adorning her red-colored lips, before talking. “It’s finally happening, Haruka dear.”

Haru breaks the gaze with the blue eyes, to center them on Lady Fuyuko’s black ones. The woman isn’t looking at Haru but to the black hair.

“All those years of hard work… of training… they are finally paying off. Don’t you think, Haruka?” Lady Fuyuko continues, laughing a little under her breath, “I knew you could do it, Haruka. I never doubted you.”

“Thank you, mother,” Haru replies, thinking is the correct thing to do.

“And I’m sure you will continue to do a wonderful job, dear. All you have to do is to…”

“Be a proper Lady.”

Lady Fuyuko’s smile brightens, widening in delight.

“And how does a proper Lady behave, Haruka?”

“Obedient, quiet, good.”

“What a good girl.”

Haru looks at the mirror again, meeting the deep blue eyes, as Lady Fuyuko finishes making the elegant bun. Just when the old woman fixes the last pearl on Haru’s hair, a soft knocking comes from the door interrupting the calm atmosphere in the room.

“Come on in!” Lady Fuyuko beckons.

The door opens, revealing Mrs. Tachibana and little Ran both of them wearing their best gowns. The little girl jumps inside the room excitedly, immediately directing herself towards Haru with wide eyes and a soft blush on her cheeks.

“You look so beautiful, Miss Haruka!” Ran exclaims. Haru smiles at her.

“Thank you, Ran. You look beautiful too.”

At the compliment, Ran bites her thumb shyly. “Mother has a gift for you!”

Haru looks at the mother-in-law to be, who is sporting a soft smile that Haru has seen multiple times in this family. “Indeed I have a gift for you, Miss Haruka,” she says, walking to Haru.

Mrs. Tachibana has a small black box in her hands, which she shows Haru.

“Oh, Mrs. Tachibana,” Lady Fuyuko begins, “You shouldn’t have!”

“Nonsense, Lady Fuyuko,” the other woman replies, laughing lightheartedly. “Miss Haruka, this was a gift given to me by my own mother-in-law when I married my husband.”

She opens the little box, and Haru’s blue eyes shimmer when seeing a silver necklace with a blue gem in a teardrop shape. It's a familiar sight because Haru has seen Mrs. Tachibana wear this necklace multiple times. Haru looks up to Mrs. Tachibana, shaking the head.

“I can’t accept this,” Haru says, “This is too much.”

“Miss Haruka, please. This necklace has been in the Tachibana family for generations.” Mrs. Tachibana carefully picks up the delicate jewelry. “My deed is to pass it to you, so your marriage with my son is blessed by the Tachibana family. Look at it as a ‘welcoming gift’.”

Haru smiles, honestly touched at the woman’s speech, before turning around to see the mirror again. Mrs. Tachibana surrounds Haru’s neck with the pendant, the blue gem resting on Haru’s collarbone, and locks it. She puts her hands on Haru’s shoulders, and gives a last smile.

“It looks wonderful with your eyes, Miss Haruka,” she says, “You know…”

All of them look at Mrs. Tachibana, whose eyes seem a little distant while gazing to Haru’s blues.

“Makoto used to have a friend in the orphanage…”

The dress is heavy and hot.

“His eyes were so beautiful, they were so blue.”

The dress is so heavy, and hot, and Haru can’t breathe.

“Makoto used to talk about those eyes all the time…”

Mrs. Tachibana’s voice drifts, leaving the words unfinished in the abysm of silence. Haru’s heartbeats hits strongly in Haru’s chest, a rapid rhythm that threatens to break away through the ribcage in any second.

“Miss Haruka’s eyes are prettier!” Ran says suddenly, making the three adults look at her, “And I’m sure my brother likes Miss Haruka’s eyes better. He can’t stop looking at them.”

Mrs. Tachibana laughs lightly, covering her lips. “Yes, you are right, Ran.”

Lady Fuyuko loudly sighs, and Haru recognizes the relieve escaping from the old woman’s lungs. “Well! We must hurry. We don’t want to make the groom wait any longer, do we?”

Lady Fuyuko takes the veil, putting it on Haru’s head as the last touch to be completely ready.

With the help of Lady Fuyuko, Haru stands up. Haru’s body trembles not only with the weight of the dress, but also with the anticipation of success. Haru can practically taste freedom as Mrs. Tachibana guides them all through the halls of the mansion, in the maze-like corridors that Haru has learnt off by heart from all the times Haru has walked in them. Lady Fuyuko and Haru enter their carriage while Mrs. Tachibana and Ran enter their own.

Bubbly excitement brims in Haru’s stomach as the carriage starts to advance. Makoto and Haru haven’t seen each other since a few days ago, with the brunette being busy with College and moving stuff, preparing everything so they can start anew in their house in the city. Haru can barely contain the enthusiasm twisting inside, making Haru’s heart palpitate with force and adrenaline, mainly when the bride is able to see the city through the tiny window of the carriage.

It’s amazing how humans work, how humanity is capable to adapt any situation; it doesn’t matter if it’s dangerous, or fatal, or critical, if a human being’s mind  is set on something, they will make it happen.

And that is what Haru did all these years.

The city’s buildings surround their carriages soon enough, and with it the eagerness inside of Haru’s heart grows deeper. The blue eyes look at Lady Fuyuko, who has been silent the whole trip, for just a second before returning to the outside.

Soon, all of this will end.

When the carriage halts in front of the church, Haru swears time -- capricious as always -- stops when Haru takes the first step outside.

The sky is of a light gray, clouds covering the heavens, but it’s still a beautiful sight that brings calms to Haru’s hasty heart. Haru’s skin feels cold when the air gently caresses it, and Haru decides to take a deep breath before walking inside the church to try to clean the mind from any intrusive thought that could lurk inside like dirt in the whiteness of milk.

“Miss Haruka?”

A gentle voice calls Haru, so the blue eyes face to Mrs. Tachibana, who is smiling that soft beam of hers with that little tilt of the head that Haru has seen many times in Makoto. Haru can’t help it when a smile escapes from Haru’s lips.

“It’s normal to be a little afraid,” the woman says, calming and serene.

“I’m not afraid,” Haru replies.

This makes Mrs. Tachibana smile wider, her eyes brightening and her cheeks dusting in light blush.

“I’m glad my Makoto found you, Miss Haruka.”

“Me too, Mrs. Tachibana.”

Lady Fuyuko prompts them to enter the church quickly, so the ceremony can start. Mrs. Tachibana and Ran obey – the girl gives Haru a last smile and a little wave of her hand – without hesitation. A lot of people are inside already, Haru is able to see, just waiting for the bride to enter.

The church itself is huge, crowned with tall towers and huge windows, with an elegant baroque façade with arches and stained glasses for windows, and white marble embellishments framing the latters. The building is of a light gray color that any other day would make Haru think of sadness, but at this moment all what that color represents is freedom.

“My dear Haruka,” Lady Fuyuko says, taking Haru’s hand while doing so, “It’s finally over, isn’t it?”

Hearing Lady Fuyuko saying that, Haru gulps down a scream.

“Yes,” Haru says, the voice barely audible against the rapid rhythm of Haru’s heartbeat, “It’s over.”

Lady Fuyuko smiles warmly. “I’m proud of you, Haruka.”

The old woman guides Haru to the giant door, giving the bride a last minute checkup to make sure Haru looks perfect. Then, Lady Fuyuko gently pushes Haru inside, and the church’s choruses start to sing.

Golden light bathes the wide hall full of people. Rows and rows of people, wearing elegant dresses and suits, instantly standing up when they see Haru enter the building. The inside of the church is white, covered with decorations made of gold, and candelabrums hanging from the roof to light up the room. The sunlight enters through the stained glasses, painting the floor and Haru’s wedding dress with the rainbow of life.

And, at the end of the hall, Makoto is at the altar.

Makoto, Haru’s Makoto, the perfect gentleman who Haru is going to marry. He is wearing a black suit, a white cravat with a green gem covering his neck, and his brunette hair pushed back for the occasion. Makoto is seeing Haru with bright eyes, and Haru wants to do nothing else than run through the hall, and hurry up the ceremony so they can leave and go away to a faraway place where no one will interfere in their happiness.

But alas, Haru must be in control. Haru must follow the instructions. Haru must stay perfect.

As soon as Haru is within reach, Makoto offers his hand that the bride happily takes, helping Haru to sit down in the designated seat for them.

“You look perfect, Haru,” Makoto whispers just for Haru, his cheeks adorned with a gentle pink blush that Haru already wants to kiss.

“So do you, Makoto,” Haru whispers back.

Haru is sure the ceremony is beautiful, Haru is sure everything the priest is saying is important and maybe even beautiful too, but Haru sincerely can’t pay attention to anything because Makoto, the love of Haru’s life, is there. They are about to get married, they are about to link their lives for eternity; before the priest, before the crowd behind them, before everyone to witness this moment.

So, Haru is a little surprised when the priest whispers, “Miss Haruka?”

The blue eyes blink, waking up suddenly, and look to Makoto who is biting his lips trying not to laugh. At one moment where Haru didn’t realize, they both stood up and held hands together.

“Miss Haruka, do you take Tachibana Makoto as your husband? Do you promise to be true to him in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love him and honor him all the days of your life?”

“Yes,” Haru answers without delay, “I do.”

The blush in Makoto’s cheeks intensifies, directing his hand to the right pocket of his coat and taking out a little silver envelope. From it, Makoto picks out a ring, made of bright gold.

“Miss Haruka, take this ring as a sign of my eternal love and fidelity to you.”

Makoto takes Haru’s left hand, inserting the ring on the correct finger. Haru expected the ring to be cold, being made of metal and all, but what a surprise it is when the golden ring fills Haru with a warm sensation, and for a moment Haru thinks the heart inside will collapse.

It’s over.

Happiness and joy overwhelms Haru, making hot tears start to fall from the blue eyes.

It’s over. It’s finally over. They are together. Forever.

Haru looks up to Makoto, who is smiling although with worried eyes because of Haru’s tears. Haru can’t do anything else than smile too.

The chorus begins to sing once again after the priest says something about blessings and honor that Haru sincerely doesn’t bother to hear. All what Haru wants is to take the carriage with Makoto and go far away where nobody can reach them with their cold claws. Makoto pulls Haru lightly, to make haste of their returning to the Tachibana household for the wedding breakfast, and the new wife quietly obeys, following the new husband to their new carriage outside the church after receiving the crowd’s cheers and congratulations.

Haru knows everything is going fast, but it isn’t fast enough for Haru.

When they are inside the privacy of the carriage, Makoto takes both of Haru’s hands and starts kissing them with adoration, focusing on the ring finger where the golden band is.

“Haru, finally,” Makoto says, his voice about to break, “We are married, finally. We will be together.”

Tears start to spill from Makoto’s eyes when he closes them. “Haru, can I hug you? Can I?”

“I’m your wife, you don’t have to ask.”

Makoto hugs Haru hard, so hard Haru thinks all the air escapes from the lungs. The blue-eyed tries to return the hug with the same force, and it tastes like relief, freedom, love, victory and so much more, but soon Haru’s head is taken by Makoto’s strong hands to be intently looked at by the green eyes. The brunette licks his lips, his green eyes going back and forth from Haru’s pink lips, trying to transmit a silent message of longing and yearning that Haru immediately understands.

Haru quickly nods, and Makoto quickly closes the distance between them.

Kissing Makoto is a delight. It makes Haru’s heart stop and start yelling at the same time, a happy and joyful squeal that Haru is glad is concealed inside. Makoto’s lips are warm, gentle, and soft, perfect in every sense of the word. Haru’s fists tighten on Makoto’s coat when Haru feels the ecstasy and electricity invading their surroundings.

Makoto breaks the kiss, but Haru doesn’t want that, so the wife pulls the brunette again into another kiss that Makoto gladly accepts, multiple times, until Makoto pauses with a giggle escaping from his lips.

“Haru, we must wait,” he says, but he still rests his forehead on Haru’s, stealing a last kiss, “We have all the time in the world, but for now we must wait.”

Waiting is something Haru has been doing since Makoto left the orphanage. Waiting is something Haru has been doing since Lady Fuyuko took Haru to that place. Waiting is something Haru has been doing since Makoto’s return.

Another few hours of waiting shouldn’t be too hard for Haru.

So they simply sit there, their hands joined between them, and a comfortable silence invading the carriage.

Haru, for the first time in years, feels at home.

 

 

 

The Tachibana household is divinely adorned, full of white roses and green and blue ribbons and bows, delicious food is served, and the all the guests are dancing, laughing, and drinking. The hall is radiating in happiness, in hot delight for life even if the cold winter is right outside the door. A lot of people were invited, people that Haru sincerely doesn’t know but that doesn’t matter, everyone is welcome in this party.

Makoto and Haru dance and dance, twirling and twirling nonstop with a smile on their faces. Haru’s feet hurt because of all the dancing, but Haru still continues because the energy inside is just too much and the blue-eyed has to do something with it. Feeling Makoto so close, his hands, his body, his everything, makes everything more real but at the same time it feels like a dream.

At one point they must sit and eat, following the wedding protocol, until Lady Fuyuko takes Haru out of the room silently.

“The time has come, Haruka,” she says, “You must change your clothes so you and Makoto can start your trip to your new home.”

Lady Fuyuko’s black eyes water, warm tears about to drop from them, but the woman blinks them away to prevent it.They go to the guestroom, where Haru has another dress to wear for the trip. As they enter the room, Haru goes to the vanity table, determined to take off the veil as soon as possible to make everything go faster. Lady Fuyuko directs herself to the wardrobe where the extra dress is, taking it out.

“This will be the last time I will help you dress,” the old woman comments, nostalgia squirming in her voice as she gently caresses the expensive fabric of the dress. Haru decides to not answer, putting the crown of the veil over the same velvet cushion where it was in the morning. “Ah, don’t worry about the wedding dress stuff, dear. I will pack them and send it to your new home.”

Haru is about to take off the necklace Mrs. Tachibana gave as a gift, but opts otherwise. The blue gem gives Haru a warm feeling. It’s strange, because it’s a cold gem, but Haru guesses it’s something about the Tachibana family in general. That warmth and gentleness, that softness and acceptance; Haru would say it runs in the family’s blood, but that would be a lie as they aren’t connected by the carmine liquid.

“Hurry, Haruka. We can’t make your husband wait,” Lady Fuyuko says, prompting Haru to stand up.

They quickly undress Haru, removing the heavy wedding dress as fast as they can. The wife actually appreciates the haste pace Lady Fuyuko has established, meaning that they will finish with all this soon, therefore Haru will be with Makoto in their new life in no time.

When Lady Fuyuko is finishing the last touches to Haru’s hair bun, the door is knocked and the old Lady allows the visitant to enter. It’s Mrs. Tachibana again, accompanied by some butlers and offering their help to carry Haru’s stuff to the carriage. The three of them are alone in the now empty room, Haru putting on a bonnet as the last detail to the outfit, when Lady Fuyuko starts talking.

“It’s cold outside, dear,” she reminds, “So, please, wear your thick coat.”

“Yes, mother,” Haru answers, looking at her.

“Mrs. Haruka,” Mrs. Tachibana calls Haru. The new title brings a shot of warm joy to Haru’s heart. “May I call you simply ‘Haruka’? I mean, we are family now.”

“Of course, Mrs. Tachibana.” For Haru, belonging to the Tachibana family is the ultimate honor, and this new informality between them just affirms it. Mrs. Tachibana smiles, happiness invading her eyes.

“Thank you, Haruka. As I was saying, please, don’t ever doubt if you and Makoto are welcome in this house. You both can come back for a visit whenever you’d like.”

“The same goes for me, Haruka dear,” Lady Fuyuko intervenes quickly, putting her hands over her chest, where the heart is. “My house will continue to be your home, Haruka. Don’t ever forget it.”

“Thank you,” Haru replies, but internally makes the promise to never come back to Lady Fuyuko’s side.

After a hug and a kiss in the cheek, Lady Fuyuko and Haru say goodbye to Mrs. Tachibana, leaving through the door guided by a maid to the mansion’s entrance. Haru hears the wedding breakfast still going in the distance, the chattering, the jingle of the plates and glasses, the celebration of their union. The wife is thankful for everyone’s good wishes, but Haru and Makoto must part now in their new adventure, together.

Outside the mansion, the carriage waits for them, and next to it stands Makoto dressed differently from before – wearing little more comfortable clothes now. The brunette smiles instantly when his green eyes meet the blue ones, extending his hand that Haru takes immediately without thinking.

“Please, Makoto, take care of my dear Haruka,” Lady Fuyuko says, tears once again threatening to spill down her reddened cheeks.

“Of course, Lady Fuyuko,” Makoto responds, helping Haru enter the carriage.

“I already told Haruka this but I will tell you either way,” Haru hears Lady Fuyuko from outside, “You are always welcomed at my home, don’t forget to visit!”

“We will be a little busy the first months, I’m sure, because of my studies and we should get used to our new married life before anything else.”

Haru smiles, glad to do it in the secrecy of the carriage, away from the world’s scrutinizing eyes. It seems Makoto feels the same as Haru, the desire to stay in their little universe just the two of them for as long as possible, afar from any intruders because they have so much time to claim back for them.

“Yes, of course!” Lady Fuyuko exclaims, a little laugh at the end of her line, “Ah, so young and in love. It’s wonderful! Don’t let me distract you any longer, Makoto. Farewell!”

The husband enters the carriage, closing the door after him, looking at Haru’s deep blue eyes in silence. But, as soon as the carriage starts to move, Haru can’t hold it anymore when a bubbly laugh escapes from within Haru. It’s a light laugh, so freeing and it comes from Haru’s heart. Makoto looks a little confused at first, but he joins Haru in the amusing frenzy of chuckles, hugging the young wife to what Haru corresponds immediately.

No more waiting, no more distance, no more broken universes. All is falling into place finally.

Whatever the future has for them, Haru is sure they can take it as long as they stay together.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From now on, the chapters will take a little more time to update.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you [Mixestomix](https://twitter.com/mixestomix) for beta'ing.
> 
> Based on Mixestomix's dream.

Time, as said, is uncontrollable.

It’s useless to think humanity can control something so big, so powerful, and out of reach. And still, time loves to have humanity’s attention. Time loves it when people pay attention to it because it’s then that time can stay still longer, sit down and contemplate everything in the slowness of its own rhythm. But if there is something time hates it’s when people ignore it, when they don’t pay attention to it, and it’s because of that that time tries its hardest to run away, to make everything pass faster than it should so humanity can start paying attention once again.

To time, people in love are the worst.

A month has passed since Makoto and Haru joined their lives together with a golden ring.

At first, Makoto had thought it would be a little difficult, getting used to living with another person that wasn’t his family. But soon enough Makoto concluded it was a stupid notion to think. This is Haru, after all; his best friend, the love of his life since forever. They quickly got used to the new married life. It almost feels like they never parted ways in the first place.

Makoto goes to College – deciding to take the Law career – in the morning, and departs to their home in the evening to spend the next hours studying before having dinner with Haru. Truth be told, Haru spends a lot of time alone, with Makoto being busy and everything, but Makoto’s wife never complains about it saying that he is happy the brunette is following his dreams. Haru sometimes accompanies Makoto in his studio just to be together in the room without interrupting the Law student from his chores, while Haru draws on a sketchbook that Makoto bought one day as a wedding gift.

“Welcome home, Sir,” a maid receives him when he enters the house, taking his coat.

“Thank you, Yuriko. Where is Haruka?” He asks immediately. Makoto feels a little tired after a test he took in the morning, and deems himself in need of embracing his partner.

“Mrs. Tachibana is in your bedroom, Sir.”

The brunette thanks the maid for the information, quickly going upstairs. Their home isn’t that big compared to Makoto’s first house back in the Tachibana household; it’s a building of two stories with multiple rooms – although wide –, and it doesn’t have a front a garden as it’s placed in the centric part of the city. They don’t even have that much staff to help with the cleaning and other chores. Makoto considers this the perfect house to begin their life together, but he stills ponders in the possibility of a bigger household with wide gardens in the future. Maybe an estate with a private beach, that way Haru could not only enjoy the tranquil and smooth lullaby from the ocean, but he could also swim in it freely without fear of being discovered out of his Haruka persona.

In his way to their bedroom, Makoto takes the opportunity to appreciate the paintings hanging on the walls with their regal frames. Some paintings are from familiar scenery – known trees and green hills from an early childhood – while some others are taken from imaginary worlds. Still, Makoto loves every single one because all of them were painted by Haru. The brunette already knew Haru had the talent to create art, but he never suspected Haru would become this good. Makoto doesn’t deem himself an art expert, but even he can recognize the skills required to construct something this beautiful; to take colors, shapes, lights and shadows, and combine them to conceive something completely new.

Getting closer to their bedroom, Makoto sees a maid standing before the door, looking a little worried.

“Is something wrong, Hitomi?” He asks as he approaches the young woman.

“Ah, Sir.” The maid looks at him, her eyes confirming her worry. “Mrs. Tachibana hasn’t come out of your bedroom in a while… and she doesn’t reply when I call her.”

Makoto sighs, but his smile doesn’t cease. Haru not going out of their bedroom isn’t anything new, he does this at least once or twice a week, but Makoto guesses the maids get uneasy because they aren’t allowed to go inside the room.

It’s one of the requisites to work in their house, to promise to never ever enter the bedroom if Haru is inside, this is to guard Haru’s secret as best as possible. It was hard in the beginning, Makoto must admit, because Haru has to go through some preparation before being able to come out, like putting on the corset – Makoto had to learn how to lace it – and other clothing paraphernalia. But the husband doesn’t mind at all, it’s a little price to pay in order to be together with Haru.

“Thank you, Hitomi. Don’t worry, I will take care of the rest,” Makoto says as he opens the door, going inside the room.

Makoto finds the room empty of Haru, and he can’t help it when a chuckle escapes from his lips because of course Haru wouldn’t simply wait for him in the room. He goes to the other door and opens it easily as it isn’t locked, as usual, and the wet and hot air caresses his cheeks as soon as he steps in.

The bathroom is wide, with a big porcelain bathtub in the middle, some potted plants, and other furniture to store bathroom supplies. In there, in the white porcelain bathtub, with the soft light painting the scene like a dream come true, is Haru.

Haru, with his perfect skin bright and covered in little drops of water, his long black hair falling to the floor as his head is resting on the tub’s border, and his eyelids closed, is inside the bathtub. He looks so relaxed, his whole body – except for the head – submerged in the water, as if he is having a private conversation with himself and the water. Anyone else would slowly step back to not interrupt such atmosphere, afraid of breaking something so dear and divine, but Makoto isn’t just “anyone” in Haru’s life.

He walks to the bathtub, slowly and calmly, and stops when he is centimeters away from it.

“Haru,” he calls his wife, gently and softly. The eyelids flutter open heavily, the blue orbs looking at him.

“Makoto,” Haru replies back.

“How long have you been here? The maids are a little worried.” Haru doesn’t reply, closing his eyes and moving a little inside the water to find a better position.

“I don’t know,” he answers. Makoto laughs a little.

“It’s kind of amazing how easily you get lost in the water, Haru.”

“It’s calming.”

Makoto’s big hand goes to remove Haru’s hair from his forehead, depositing a kiss in that same spot.

“Would you give me the honor of eating something with me?” Makoto asks.

“We have been married for a month and you still ask questions like these,” Haru answers instead, making Makoto laugh. He sounds annoyed, but Makoto knows for sure that Haru actually finds it funny.

“I should always behave like a proper gentleman, right? To be worthy of such a perfect lady like yourself, Haru.”

To that, Haru’s eyes immediately open, looking intently at Makoto with that deep blue of his.

“Yes,” Haru says, “A proper lady. For you, Makoto.”

Makoto smiles at Haru.

“Come on. Let’s go, Haru.” The brunette offers Haru a hand, who takes it to be pulled outside of the tub.

Haru stands up, the water protesting the movement and clinging to the lean naked body like thousands of stars in a milky universe. Makoto quickly covers Haru with a thick towel that was close to the wood-burning heater to keep it warm, and helps him to dry as fast as possible. When they finish inside the bathroom, they go to the bedroom to dress Haru, Makoto promptly helping him with whatever Haru needs. Soon enough, Haru is putting on makeup, sitting at the vanity table in front of the mirror. Makoto is sitting on the bed, looking at him work, until Haru crosses eyes with the brunette and arches an eyebrow.

“Why do you always look at me when I’m doing this? Must be boring,” Haru comments as he grabs a pink lipstick.

“I don’t know,” Makoto responds, shrugging. His eyes follow Haru’s hand as it moves to carefully color the thin lips with the pink tint. “I find it interesting.”

It’s almost like art. How the color adorns Haru’s face so perfectly, how Haru uses the makeup to color his face. It doesn’t make him look any different, Haru will always be Haru, but something about the process of putting on makeup is entrancing in itself. For Makoto, it’s the equivalent of seeing Haru painting on a canvas. Nothing more, nothing less.

The artist himself doesn’t say anything else, busy coloring his lips, until he finishes the process. Haru then opens a little wooden box, taking out the necklace his mother-in-law gifted him in their wedding day, and puts it on. Makoto smiles at the sight. Haru has taken a liking for that necklace, and wears it almost every day; that makes Makoto happy. Somehow it feels like Haru is parading the Tachibana name with pride.

Makoto stands up, walking to his wife where he puts his hands over his shoulders, bowing to give Haru’s nape a chaste kiss.

“You look perfect, Haru. As always,” he says with a smile.

Haru corresponds the gesture, smiling that soft beam of his.

They exit the bedroom, going to the dining room where the scent of food is already present. Makoto notices how some maids look relieved when they see Haru fine and dandy. They never give a real reason as of why the staff can’t enter their bedroom, so they probably think it’s because Haru suffers from a weird disease or something, or maybe they think Haru has a weak health. Whatever the case may be, Makoto is glad all the maids and butlers obey the most important rule of that house.

“I’m free for the rest of the evening, Haruka,” Makoto says, cutting a piece of meat with a knife on his plate. “Would you like to do something together?”

“I was thinking of baking something,” Haru replies.

Makoto’s eyes must be transparent with happiness, because Haru smiles again, amused, while looking at him.

“Ah, but I can’t help you with that,” the brunette reminds, “I’m a mess with cooking.”

“I’m sure you can be useful with something little, at least.”

The brunette just smiles, happy to see Haru in such good mood. Today seems to be a good day for them.

They eat peacefully, Makoto talking about all the deeds he completed that morning, and about different topics he learnt in College. Haru always listens to everything Makoto says, interested in whatever word his husband offers, while he doesn’t participate much in the conversation. That is alright, at any case, Makoto guesses it must be because Haru doesn’t go out that much, preferring to stay at home.

Haru’s favorite hobby is painting, and he spends a lot of time doing that. Some days when Makoto has enough free time, they both travel to the countryside so Haru can find inspiration outside the walls of their home, resulting in astounding pieces of art that are currently hanged on their walls. Haru also loves to read, he even sometimes picks Makoto’s school books to read them. Makoto has always known that Haru is smart, but he still was surprised when Haru was able to sustain a conversation about laws with him just as fine as anyone in his faculty. Since then, Makoto offers Haru more and more books about the subject, eager to help Haru learn more and more about the world.

Once they are done eating, he and Haru go to the kitchen, the staff immediately stepping out of their way to give them space. It isn’t that weird for Haru to enter here, or even cook, so all the staff receives them with a smile and a small bow. Haru immediately gets started, putting on an apron and giving Makoto one for himself. The brunette wears the apron after taking off his jacket and pulling up his shirt’s sleeves to his elbows.

“What can I help you with?” He asks.

“I will tell you the ingredients and utensils I need, and you will pass them to me,” Haru instructs, taking a bowl from a counter.

“And what are we making?”

“Cookies.”

Makoto smiles at the news. Haru’s cookies are the best he has ever tasted. He can imagine Ren and Ran pouting and yelling how unfair it’s that Makoto has Haru’s baking all for himself every day. Makoto chuckles at the image, Haru looking at him for a second before speaking.

“We should send Ren and Ran some cookies. Butter.”

“Ah! How did you I was thinking of them?!” Makoto asks, surprised, as he walks to the cold room where the butter is. He grabs the butter, and when he goes back to Haru, he already has the measuring cup in hand.

It isn’t that strange for Haru to “read” Makoto’s mind, neither for Makoto to do so with Haru’s. They have had this ability since they were children. What is surprising is that the skill persevered even to this day, after all those years of being apart, after all they changed with life. It’s amazing, and it fills Makoto with a warm feeling to know that they continue to be them after all.

Haru lets out a puff of air, his silent way of laughing.

“You always have a ‘look’ in your eyes when you think of them,” the artist replies. Makoto walks to him, leaving the butter on the counter while standing close to Haru.

“Huh? Do I?” he asks, Haru nods as an answer, “Do I also have a ‘look’ when I think of you?”

Haru’s cheeks turn a lovely shade of red, almost imperceptible but that Makoto has learnt to see with time. Makoto smiles. Teasing Haru like this is always fun because his reactions are priceless. With a spoon, Haru starts to measure the butter inside the cup to what the recipe needs.

“Yes,” Haru says suddenly, surprising Makoto a little because of the slow answer to his question, “You look different. When you think of me.”

Makoto’s heart flutters at the short, embarrassed lines. “But I’m always thinking of you, Haru.”

This time Haru’s hands tremble a little. “Yes. You are,” he says.

Deciding that that is enough teasing, Makoto lowers his head to kiss Haru on the black hair.

Haru continues to instruct Makoto on what to do, the brunette diligently following every order, he even gets to cream the butter when Haru says he should put into use that idiotic strength of his. Makoto feels at ease, content, and happy. He remembers his mother’s words the day he met with Haru after all that time, about him missing “something” or “someone”; he remembers how emotion started to bloom inside of him as soon as his mother talked about it. Yes, he was missing “something” and “someone” at the same time. He was missing a part of his universe, a part of his life, and that part is Haru and Haru alone.

He has always been happy with his life. He is truly thankful of everything he has, and he is aware it’s all thanks to the Tachibana family, but now he is ecstatic because he can share all of this with Haru, his destined person and love. They both can share these moments of peace, of silliness, of doing nothing except enjoy life in itself with each other. It’s wonderful, and Makoto sometimes can’t believe how lucky he is for having this life.

The cookies are in the oven, and while they wait for them to be ready, Haru prepares some tea. They drink the hot beverage sitting at a table in the kitchen. Silence reigns over them for a while, until Makoto starts talking.

“The kitchen is always warm.”

“Yes,” Haru replies, “Is the weather too cold outside?”

“Kind of, yes.” Makoto drinks a little of his cup before going on. “It’s winter, after all, and Christmas is coming.”

“Ah… that’s right.”

Makoto frowns a little. Did Haru actually forget about the holidays?

“My mother didn’t celebrate it,” Haru says, “We never did anything special for it. Just a normal day.”

That would explain the lack of excitement coming from Haru, but that only means Makoto has a new mission.

“Then we shall have a big celebration!” He says, smiling, “I was thinking on going back to my parents’ house for the dinner, would you like that? I’m sure Ren and Ran would be really happy to see you.”

Haru softly smiles at him. “Sounds wonderful.”

Makoto takes Haru’s hand to kiss it, it’s warm, soft, and delicate. It’s always a pleasure to kiss Haru’s hands, and Makoto accepts any opportunity he has to do it.

Soon, the kitchen is submerged in the delicious smell of the cookies, and Haru is the one who takes them out of the oven to leave them cool and rest over a rack. They continue to make the white glaze, adding a little more sugar under Makoto’s request. In no time, the cookies are ready and decorated, Haru having drawn perfect snowflakes on them – Makoto tries as well, but his don’t look as good.

The sun is gone when they finish, and it’s time for dinner, so they go out of the kitchen to let the chefs and staff do their job. Meanwhile, Haru and Makoto go to the living room where the piano is. Haru sits down at the piano, and starts to play an easy piece. On the other hand, Makoto sits down on the couch, looking at Haru.

It’s unbelievable how a person can bring this much happiness to Makoto’s life. He almost can’t believe it and yet here they are. Happy together as it should be. The lonely and yearning days are now long forgotten, a part of the past that neither of them will have to endure once more.

Dinner is served and they eat, having the cookies as dessert with a cup of tea. Feeling satisfied, they both go to their bedroom where Makoto helps Haru undress.

Haru takes a deep breath as soon as the corset is removed, holding his breathing for a second before releasing it. Makoto feels marveled by all of this. It’s amazing how much Haru endures all day long, from the tight corset, to the heavy crinoline, to the hot dresses, all of it in order to maintain this persona he created alongside with his mother. All the dedication fills Makoto’s heart with an undying love and appreciation to Haru, so he can’t help it when every night – after helping Haru out of his clothes – he kisses the nape of his neck.

“The bath is ready,” Makoto says, his nose caressing Haru’s nape, sensing his faint scent of roses, “Let’s go in together?”

Makoto feels Haru’s body tremble a little, the shivering making Makoto himself vibrate. Haru nods silently. The brunette undresses quickly, guiding Haru to the bathroom.

The room is warm thanks to the hot water and the heater, inviting the couple into the bathtub. Makoto enters the water first, taking Haru’s hand to help him step in. Haru rests his back on the brunette’s chest, letting out a content sigh, while Makoto puts his arms on the bathtub’s rim.

This isn’t the first time they do this. They get together in the bath at least once a week, in complete silence and just enjoying each other’s company, not really getting clean because they don’t soap or shampoo themselves, just staying there in the warmth of the water and themselves. It’s relaxing, and Makoto feels like his bond with Haru strengthens every time.

Makoto passes his arms around Haru’s middle in an embrace, pulling him closer, lowering his face to rest his lips on Haru’s naked shoulder. He closes his eyes, reveling in the calm atmosphere.

It’s something only Haru can bring. This level of calmness, of tranquility, of peace; only Haru and his presence are able to make Makoto feel like this. Since they were  children Haru has been that base, that stability, helping Makoto live through life, protecting him from invisible ghosts and monsters in the darkness. Obviously with time Makoto learnt to walk by himself when they were separated after accepting to go with the Tachibana family, but now he is happy to walk the rest of the road with Haru by his side.

Haru’s thin fingers start to gently caress his arms under the water, tracing loose lines with the fingertips.

“I’m happy.”

Makoto wakes up from his calm stupor when the other’s voice speaks. “Haru?”

“I’m… I’m happy,” Haru repeats, his voice only a murmur almost lost in the silence of the room. “With you. I’m happy.”

Fireworks explode inside of Makoto’s heart, loud and colorful, filling his chest with sparks and fire. His embrace tightens and Haru gasps softly.

Haru has never been good with words. For Haru, talking is something hard. Translating his emotions and thoughts into words and speech is a whole process that sometimes gets a lot of time to do, much more mustering the courage to actually say the things he wants to say. So Makoto treasures every single one like gold and diamonds.

“Me too, Haru. I’m so happy with you.”

“After all this time…” Haru continues, “After all that work…”

Haru’s voice drifts and stops, leaving the line unfinished in the air as if his lips were sealed. Makoto lets it pass, guessing that Haru must be organizing the words inside his head, but as the silence gets longer the brunette decides to kiss Haru’s temple.

“Haru?” Makoto calls him.

Haru moves a little, as if he were waking up from a deep slumber.

“We are finally together,” Haru finishes.

“Yes, Haru. Forever.”

Makoto takes Haru’s hand, the one with the ring, and picks it up, showing his companion the golden band. “Nothing can tear us apart, Haru.”

“Yes,” Haru whispers, “Nothing.”

When the water starts to get cold, Makoto suggests in going to bed. Surprising Makoto, Haru accepts almost immediately, stepping out of the tub to dry themselves. Makoto dresses with his pajamas while Haru wears his white nightgown.

Haru sits at the vanity table, finally undoing the bun of his hair to let it fall freely over his shoulders, then he picks up his hairbrush and starts combing the black threads. Makoto sits on the bed, watching Haru from behind. Haru’s black hair shines with the light, it looks soft like silk and is as dark as the night.

Makoto loves Haru so much.

The brunette stands up, walking to Haru and holding his wrist, stopping his hand from brushing the hair. Haru looks at him, confusion invading his blue eyes. Makoto gently takes away the comb, putting it on the vanity table, and slowly pulls Haru up.

Haru’s blue eyes are fixed on him, looking for answers to his unspoken questions, and everything Makoto can do is smile before kissing him on the still pink-tinted lips.

The kiss is gentle, calm, with soft movements and a slow pace. Kissing Haru is always wonderful, it fills Makoto with warmth, with butterflies fluttering in his stomach, it sends sparks of electricity through his veins, and he can feel his heart dancing rapidly. It’s a wonderful feeling Makoto deems himself addicted to.

Makoto breaks the kiss slowly, opening his green eyes to see the blue ones, biting his lips when he discovers Haru has his eyes closed with slightly parted lips. The blue eyes heavily open, reflecting something completely different from a few seconds ago, now they show the yearning, the longing invading Haru’s heart. That is all it takes for Makoto to kiss Haru again, this time holding him by the middle in a tight embrace that Haru immediately corresponds, locking his arms around Makoto’s neck.

Makoto’s hands travel up and down on Haru’s back, feeling the creases of the night gown, but glad to touch Haru’s natural shape without the restriction of the corset. It begins slowly, the fire starts to consume Makoto’s insides, making him want more of this sensation, making him want to be closer to the person he loves so much.

Breaking the kiss, Makoto directs his lips to Haru’s ear, murmuring with a low voice, “Can I touch you, Haru?”

He clearly hears Haru’s breath stop with a soft gasp, and then Makoto’s shoulders are tightly grasped by Haru’s hands.

“Yes,” Haru whispers back.

With the permission given, Makoto moves his hands again, the caresses more slow and lingering. He kisses Haru’s ear, earning a shiver coming from him. Makoto gives the fireplace a glance, finding it roaring with hot fire that doesn’t seem will go out any time soon, so the room will stay warm for a long time. With that thought in mind, one of Makoto’s hands goes to Haru’s night gown buttons, playing with them as a silent question until Haru nods.

Makoto unbuttons the gown, allowing himself to revel on the exposed skin from Haru’s neck that he kisses. Haru’s breath starts to slow down with each kiss.

“Makoto…” Haru murmurs, while his hands tighten on his husband’s shoulders.

Instead of replying to the call, Makoto guides Haru to the bed where he finishes unbuttoning Haru’s clothes. Green meets blue when Makoto looks at Haru, pulling up the gown just a little. Haru nods once again. Soon the white gown is removed, revealing Haru’s pale skin that seems to glow with the warm light of the fireplace. His hands itch, burning in desire to touch, and when he does his fingertips send vibrations to his body.

Makoto starts touching Haru slowly, from his collarbone to his navel, then he places both hands on Haru’s hips to look at him thoroughly. He has seen Haru completely nude multiple times, and the only word he finds to describe him is “perfect” every single time. But this burning, this hot desire inside of Makoto, is new in the sense that he wants to touch Haru whole, to learn every secret that Haru’s body holds, to embrace Haru and not let go until they both are spent.

“Makoto,” Haru calls him, bringing him back from his thoughts, touching Makoto’s clothes’ buttons.

The brunette nods in a second, glad to know Haru is feeling the same as him. The graceful hands unbutton his clothes, removing them to let them fall to the floor. Makoto brings Haru closer to him by the middle, humming at the sensation of their naked bodies together, to kiss him. Haru moans in the kiss, his hands gripping Makoto’s biceps for balance because his legs are trembling.

Stopping the kiss, Makoto instructs Haru to get on the bed. He obeys without a word, resting his head on the pillow, and opening his arms towards Makoto to receive him. The brunette settles between Haru’s legs, surrounding his middle with both arms and kissing him, biting his lips to make him moan further.

The rhythm is slow, without any kind of hurry or pressure to quicken the pace because there is no need for that. Still, Makoto is surprised when he feels Haru’s delicate hand take his hard member, pumping it slowly but that makes the brunette moan lowly. Makoto corresponds to the touch on Haru, feeling the hot and hard flesh in his hand, marveling in the gasps and moans that Haru lets out freely without any shame. They call each other between ragged breaths and kisses, whispers and murmurs flooding with adoration and worship.

Makoto lowers his lips, licking, kissing, and biting Haru’s neck. Haru’s scent invades his nose, his natural scent that isn’t covered nor adorned by the artificial smell of the oils in the bath, the scent Makoto learnt to recognize since their childhood and longed for so long until now.

“M—Makoto!”

Haru’s voice is trembling, bordering in a mewl, broken by the pleasure in his body. Makoto answers to his calls with a deep kiss, biting the thin lips and exploring his mouth. Haru wraps his arms around Makoto’s neck, tangling his fingers in the brown hair. Makoto takes both members in one hand, not stopping the rhythm as he feels the peak coming closer and closer. He moves his hips when Haru circles his middle with his legs.

His body tenses for a second, as a wave of pleasure takes over him, his moan drowned in the kiss. Hot liquid covers Haru’s abdomen. Both bodies tremble in lingering ecstasy, the adrenaline still rushing rapidly in their veins and making their hearts vibrate. Makoto breaks the kiss, resting his forehead on Haru’s, feeding his lungs the much necessary air, and with his eyes closed.

When Makoto opens his eyes, Haru does the same. The brunette smiles at him, and Haru weakly returns the beam.

“Your makeup is all messed up now,” Makoto jokes, seeing the pink tint of Haru’s lips smudged out messily.

Haru laughs a little, cupping Makoto’s face with both hands before touching his lips with a thumb.

“That’s because it’s all over you now,” Haru replies.

Makoto chuckles, hiding his face on Haru’s neck, in hopes of regaining control of his body soon. Haru gently plays with the brown hair.

Makoto feels at peace, allowing himself to fall asleep in Haru’s arms to the rhythm of his hands and his heartbeat.

 

 

 

The next day Makoto wakes up along with Haru. This day Haru decides to not wear his corset, so the dressing part is way faster, wearing only an inner dress with an elegant robe over it; he still fixes his long hair in bun. Makoto on the other hand dresses with a suit, ready and ironed since the night before, in order to go to College.

They have breakfast together, as usual, and it’s delicious to say the least.

“What are your plans for today while I’m gone, Haruka?” Makoto asks, interested on what his wife has to say.

“Nothing really,” Haru confesses, “I’m not planning to go out, if that’s what you are inquiring, that’s why I decided to forgo the corset today. So I may just sit and read a few of your books until you come back.”

Makoto smiles at Haru. He has noticed how Haru behaves differently when they are alone to when there are more people in the room. When only their two souls are present, Haru is more “like himself”; Makoto often remembers old quirks from the orphanage when they are alone. But when they are in presence of more people – the maids in this case – Haru is the perfect example of a perfect Lady. His posture is impeccable, his words are refined and with class, and his movements are so well rehearsed and yet they feel so natural. Haru and Lady Fuyuko truly did an amazing work at tailoring this Haruka persona for him. And thinking that it was all because Haru wants to be with him, with Makoto, makes his stomach fly away with all the butterflies fluttering inside.

“Excellent, darling,” Makoto praises, rejoicing when the tiniest shadow of red marks Haru’s cheeks. “I don’t think I will arrive that late this evening, so it should be fine.”

After the breakfast, Makoto prepares his briefcase with all of his things for his classes while Haru goes to the coat rack to retrieve his jacket.

“Until later, Haruka,” Makoto says at the door, smiling softly at Haru’s incredibly beautiful eyes, feeling himself getting lost in them for a second.

“Until later, Makoto.”

The husband leans on Haru to kiss his lips quickly after making sure the house’s staff isn’t looking at them. With that, Makoto steps out of their house and into their carriage, ready for another day of adulthood now that his lips taste of Haru and pink lipstick.

The morning continues as usual. His classes are interesting, his classmates and he talk about their lectures, while some of them talk about their fiancées. When Makoto first announced to them that he is already married, his classmates responded with surprise at how young he got engaged and married, but he simply smiled and said that sometimes it happens and that is it. Multiple times his peers have requested to see the “enticing woman” that made him fall in love so quickly, but every time he laughs and gently refuses, saying that it wouldn’t be correct to show off his wife like that. The opportunity will present itself with due time.

Hours pass without much to add until it’s time to go home. Makoto feels a little tired, learning Law is everything but easy, but he already feels excited when he is sitting in the carriage, with the image of his beloved wife waiting for him at their home and the time they will spend together. Not to mention that, Makoto has to confess, thoughts of their previous night continue to come back in his mind. That was the first time he and Haru shared the bed like that, and Makoto savors the next time they can lay in the same way again. If the goddess of luck hears Makoto’s prayers, perhaps tonight he will be blessed with Haru’s soft gasps again.

He arrives at home, being received by a maid who welcomes him. To his surprise, she looks a little nervous.

“Is something wrong, Yuriko?” He asks her, seeing how her eyes are down. “Is Haruka locked in the bathroom again?”

“No, Sir,” Yuriko responds, putting Makoto’s jacket on the coat rack, “Mrs. Tachibana is… well, after you parted, Sir, someone came to visit unannounced. They are in the living room.”

Makoto frowns at the news. This is the first visit they have, it’s unannounced and that’s uncalled for. What is worst is that it could compromise Haru’s persona if he wasn’t ready to receive someone.

“Who is it?”

When he enters the living room, he is surprised to see Haru sitting on a couch – a perfect posture, a perfect poise, a perfect presence – all dressed up in an elegant dress instead of the robe he had in the morning, meaning that Haru had to put on the corset, and his face painted with the soft color of makeup.

And, sitting right across Haru in another couch, is Lady Fuyuko.

“Makoto!” The old woman exclaims with a smile when she sees him, standing up, “How have you been, dear?”

Haru, hearing Makoto’s name, looks his way and Makoto can swear those blue eyes sparkled brightly in a second.

“Lady Fuyuko, what a surprise,” he says, “I’m fine. I’ve just returned from my classes.”

“Yes, yes, dear Haruka here told me that was why you weren’t here.”

Makoto walks towards Haru to sit down next to him, Lady Fuyuko sits down too. The brunette sees two teacups on the coffee table, next to a regal teapot, along with a few cookies that Makoto recognizes as some of the ones he and Haru baked together. For all of this, it seems both Haru and Lady Fuyuko have been sitting here for a while. Yuriko the maid mentioned that Lady Fuyuko arrived when he left in the morning, does that mean she has been here since then?

“But can you believe it?” Lady Fuyuko starts to talk, taking one of the cookies with an elegant movement, “I found Haruka in her robe! So embarrassing, isn’t that right, dear?”

“Yes, mother,” Haru answers immediately.

The brunette controls his desire to frown. It’s normal for women to stay in their robes as long as they stay inside the house, why would Haru be any different? Now that Makoto thinks about it more deeply, when he was “courting” Haru back then he never saw Haru in his robes when he visited him at the Fuyuko household; probably because the old Lady considers it embarrassing or “improper”.

“I had to help her get ready,” Lady Fuyuko continues speaking, “By the way, it was pretty smart of you to ban your bedroom from the staff! It’s safer like that.”

“Yes, it is.”

His green eyes look at Haru for a second. It’s no wonder the staff, or at least Yuriko, is looking a little nervous, when Haru himself is looking so tense. Why is Haru so tense? Is it because Lady Fuyuko’s visit was unexpected? He remembers Haru saying his mother was very strict in his raising, so that would explain why he is looking tense, mainly if she found him in his robes instead of dressing a formal dress. Still, Makoto takes Haru’s hand in his, in hopes of relaxing his lover. Thankfully it works, if Haru’s tiny smile at him means anything.

Lady Fuyuko smiles at them both. “I’m glad to see you two are getting as well as always,” she says before taking a sip from her teacup, “That’s important for a successful marriage. Communication and trust, that is.”

Makoto smiles at his mother-in-law. Lady Fuyuko most likely was worried for them and decided to come visit them when the anxiety was too much. The woman was rather protective of Haru when he lived with her, so it isn’t surprising at all that she would be so worried now that her Haru isn’t with her. Besides, Haru is the only remaining family she has. It’s understandable her wish to stay in contact or to be anxious. “Empty nest syndrome”, Makoto thinks it’s called.

“That and children, of course,” Lady Fuyuko adds.

Surprise fills him as he hears the old woman’s words. Children? What is she talking about? She should know that—

In that moment, a maid talks to him.

“Sir, would you like me to serve you tea with the ladies?”

“Ah, yes. Thank you,” he says.

He hadn’t noticed the maid entering the room. A thought comes to his mind like a sparkle of light inside of a dark room. Lady Fuyuko must have seen the maid coming closer and that is why she said that. Newlyweds are supposed to announce children in the way as fast as possible, aren’t they?

“Yes, sure!” Makoto affirms, playing along. He feels Haru’s surprised eyes on him. “But right now I’m way too busy with school and such, and I would like to be there for future children.”

The maid puts a new teacup on the coffee table, pouring the hot tea in it. The room is filled with the faint scent of sweet peach.

“Yes, of course. I understand that, but I must insist on it,” Lady Fuyuko says, lifting her own cup to be served more tea, “It’s important for you to start a family.”

Makoto waits for the maid to finish serving the tea, walking away with the now empty teapot, before speaking again, “Will you stay for dinner, Lady Fuyuko?”

“Oh, I shouldn’t! I must go back to my hotel so I can rest before my trip back home tomorrow in the morning, dear.”

“Going back so soon?” Makoto questions, honestly surprised. It seems too much of a hassle to travel so far just for a one day visit.

“Yes, dear. Look, I should be honest, Makoto. I was a little worried about my dear Haruka here,” her eyebrows crease sadly as she confesses her thoughts, “It’s the first time we have been apart for so long and so far away! Please amuse this old lady with her selfishness for now.”

Makoto shakes his head with a smile, “It’s no problem, Lady Fuyuko. I completely understand where you are coming from. You just want the best for your daughter.”

Lady Fuyuko smiles back, evidently pleased by Makoto’s words. “Exactly, the best for Haruka! She deserves only the best, right?”

His smile widens. It’s kind of adorable to see how much Lady Fuyuko adores Haru. She wants Haru to live a happy, perfect life; she may be a strict, but it’s obvious her iron-fist comes from a good place and good intentions. After all, it was Lady Fuyuko who educated Haru in the ways of being a lady for all those years, it was her who planned the ball for them to meet, and it was her who insisted so much in helping them through their courtship and wedding, and even later, giving them this house as a wedding gift.

“Only the best, Lady Fuyuko, you are right. Ah, by the way, I must insist on you announcing your next visit, please. Like that both Haru and I will be ready to receive you as it must be done.”

“You are right about that. You must forgive me, Makoto, but I got so anxious I didn’t think of it!” She places a hand on her chest before speaking, “It won’t happen again, I promise.”

With Lady Fuyuko’s promise, Makoto smiles and nods. The three of them go to the door to say their farewells to the guest.

“Haruka,” Lady Fuyuko begins, looking intently at Haru’s blue eyes.

“Yes, mother,” he replies.

“Please, remember to always be a proper Lady. Makoto is a wonderful husband, and he deserves a proper Lady as a wife, doesn’t he?”

Haru’s eyes go wide immediately, and he licks his pink-tinted lips before responding, “Yes, mother. A perfect Lady. For Makoto.”

Pleased, Lady Fuyuko smiles at Haru’s response. “Wonderful, dear. I’ll be seeing two you later, take care!”

With those last words, Lady Fuyuko turns around and gets in her carriage, the butler closing the door after her, and soon the driver takes her on her way.

Haru inhales and exhales deeply, as if he is trying to regain forces and life back inside his body. Makoto chuckles looking at him, taking his hand to kiss the delicate knuckles on it with a smile.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t here for you,” he tries to relieve Haru’s stress.

“It doesn’t matter,” Haru responds, “She just wanted to know if we were alright.”

“That’s right, Haru.” Makoto puts his hands on Haru’s arms, massaging them a little to warm him up. “It’s because she loves you so much.”

Haru stays silent for a moment, his deep blue eyes staring at Makoto’s greens.

“It’s because she loves me,” Haru repeats.

“Yes! She is your mother, and she loves you so she gets worried about you.”

Haru only nods as an answer, but Makoto is able to hear him mumble something along the lines of “she loves me” under his breath when he turns his face down.

Entering the house, Makoto suggests they eat dinner because he is starving by now. Haru agrees, nodding again, and follows him to the dining room where a team of maids are already waiting for them. The dinner is delicious and satisfying, both of them talking about Makoto’s day and what he did.

At night, the same dance they practiced last time happens, between ragged breaths, soft gasps, and husky moans. Makoto touches the sky, and helps Haru to touch it too, their hands getting lost on their skin and their lips marking their bodies with adoration and love.

When they finish, Makoto is resting on his elbows, hovering over Haru and settled between his legs. Their combined hot, white liquid covers Haru’s abdomen and his cheeks have a glossy shade of red. His dark and disheveled hair coats the pillow like the night where Haru’s blue, radiant eyes are the stars, looking at Makoto with a relaxed and gentle light.

He kisses Haru softly, while repeating his oath of eternal love for this person he adores so much. Makoto swears on his life that the fire of his love will never extinguish, he promises that he will love Haru until his last breath that he prays to the sky he will share with Haru once the time comes, he vows to Haru that he is the light of his life that he will protect with all his might against anything.

Haru takes all of his words. He takes them all and kisses Makoto with a renewed passion that the husband gladly corresponds.

It’s amazing to love and to be loved, Makoto thinks.

Falling asleep in his beloved’s arms, Makoto wonders what would his past-self think of him right now, so happy and so content with life, and without a fear in his heart.

Life is just beginning for them both.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait! Right now I'm dealing with a heavy writer's block that is killing me.
> 
> Comments and kudos are always appreciated! They motivate me to continue writing.
> 
> You can also find me on my tumblr [AleishaDreams](http:www.aleishadreams.tumblr.com) and my twitter [ActualAleisha](http:www.twitter.com/actualaleisha)

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> Comments and kudos are always appreciated! They motivate me to continue writing.
> 
> You can also find me on my tumblr [AleishaDreams](http:www.aleishadreams.tumblr.com) and my twitter [ActualAleisha](http:www.twitter.com/actualaleisha)


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